Manhattan, NY — Chazz Palminteri Italian Restaurant, located at 30 West 46th Street in Midtown Manhattan, received a score of 37 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 25, 2026, placing it in the Grade C range. Inspectors documented two critical violations and one non-critical violation. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 27, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The most serious violation documented during the inspection was cited under Code 05D, a critical designation covering handwashing facilities. Inspectors found that the restaurant lacked an accessible handwashing station in or adjacent to the toilet room, or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service, or ware washing area. The facility was either obstructed, inaccessible, or being used for purposes other than handwashing, or lacked required hot and cold running water, soap, or an acceptable hand-drying device.

The second critical violation, cited under Code 06C, identified that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. This includes condiments that were not stored in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor, creating a risk of cross-contamination.

A non-critical violation was also recorded under Code 10F, noting that non-food contact surfaces or equipment were made of unacceptable material, were not kept clean, or were not properly sealed, raised, spaced, or positioned to allow access for cleaning on all sides, above, and underneath the unit.

Food Safety Context

Handwashing access is addressed directly under NYC Health Code Article 81 and reinforced by the FDA Food Code, both of which identify proper hand hygiene as a foundational control measure for preventing foodborne illness. The FDA Food Code designates handwashing facility accessibility as a priority item, meaning its absence carries significant weight in the inspection scoring process.

Similarly, food protection requirements under Article 81 are designed to prevent cross-contamination at every stage of food handling — from storage through service. Violations of these standards are classified as critical because they represent conditions with a direct potential to contribute to foodborne illness if left unaddressed.

Non-food contact surface maintenance, while not scored as a critical violation, plays a supporting role in overall sanitation. Surfaces that cannot be properly cleaned may harbor bacteria and pest activity over time.

Inspection History

The March 2026 inspection is not the first time Chazz Palminteri Italian Restaurant has received a score outside the Grade A range. The restaurant's recent inspection record includes:

  • October 3, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • July 31, 2024: Score not recorded
  • February 9, 2023: Score 31 (Grade C)
  • August 1, 2022: Score 35 (Grade C range)

The October 2024 inspection resulted in a Grade A, indicating the restaurant had previously achieved compliance at a high level. However, the current score of 37 represents a return to conditions consistent with earlier inspections in 2022 and 2023, both of which also fell into the Grade C range.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter-grade system is determined by the numeric score assigned during a DOHMH inspection. Each point corresponds to the severity and nature of violations identified. Grades are assigned as follows:

  • A: Score of 0–13 points (fewest violations)
  • B: Score of 14–27 points
  • C: Score of 28 or more points

Under city rules, restaurants that receive a score of 14 or higher on an initial inspection are not immediately assigned a grade. They are instead re-inspected, and the grade is based on that follow-up visit. Restaurants must post their most current grade card in a window visible from the street.

Consumers can look up any restaurant's full inspection history, including violation details and grade status, through the DOHMH's NYC Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov/health. Records are updated regularly as new inspection data is processed and released.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Chazz Palminteri Italian Restaurant including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.