Brooklyn, NY — D & S Bakery, located at 6302 New Utrecht Avenue in the Borough Park neighborhood, received a Grade C score of 47 following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 19, 2026. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 23, 2026. The single violation cited was classified as critical.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented one critical violation under Code 02H, which pertains to improper cooling of temperature-controlled for safety (TCS) foods. Specifically, inspectors found that after cooking or removal from hot holding, food was not cooled using an approved method that reduces the internal temperature from 140°F to 70°F within two hours, and from 70°F to 41°F within an additional four hours.
This cooling timeline is a core food safety requirement. When cooked foods remain in the temperature "danger zone" — between 41°F and 140°F — for extended periods, conditions become favorable for the rapid multiplication of bacteria such as Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, and Clostridium perfringens. For a bakery producing products such as custard-filled pastries, cream-based desserts, or other dairy- or egg-containing items, adherence to proper cooling protocols is particularly consequential.
No non-critical violations were cited during this inspection.
Food Safety Context
The cooling requirement violated at D & S Bakery is codified under NYC Health Code Article 81 and mirrors standards outlined in the FDA Food Code, which serves as the basis for food safety regulations across most U.S. jurisdictions. The two-stage cooling rule — commonly referred to as the "2-4 hour rule" — is designed to minimize the amount of time potentially hazardous foods spend in temperature ranges that support bacterial growth.
Approved cooling methods include the use of ice baths, blast chillers, shallow pans that allow rapid heat dissipation, or the division of large portions into smaller containers. Simply placing large quantities of hot food in a standard refrigerator is generally not considered an approved method, as the internal temperature may not drop quickly enough to meet the required thresholds.
A score of 47 points places the establishment in the Grade C range under NYC's restaurant grading system, which assigns letter grades based on points accumulated during an unannounced inspection. A higher point total reflects a greater number or severity of violations identified.
Inspection History
D & S Bakery has a variable inspection record over the past several years. Prior inspections on file with DOHMH include:
- Feb. 4, 2026: Score 25
- Oct. 18, 2024: Score 11 (Grade A)
- Apr. 8, 2024: Score 23 (Grade B)
- Mar. 15, 2024: Score 15
- Mar. 31, 2023: Score 12 (Grade A)
- Nov. 1, 2022: Score 25
The establishment earned Grade A scores as recently as October 2024, indicating that compliant operations have been achievable. The most recent cycle shows a notable increase in score across two consecutive inspections in early 2026, with the February score of 25 falling just below the Grade C threshold and the March score climbing to 47.
Under DOHMH procedures, an establishment that receives a Grade C score during an initial inspection may request a re-inspection, at which point a new score is calculated and the grade is posted. Establishments have the option to post either the initial or re-inspection grade, whichever is more favorable, after adjudication.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's letter grade system is based on the total number of points assessed during a sanitary inspection. Points are assigned for each violation identified, with critical violations carrying more weight than non-critical ones. The grade thresholds are:
- A: 0–13 points
- B: 14–27 points
- C: 28 or more points
Inspection records for all NYC food service establishments are publicly available through the DOHMH online database. Consumers can search any restaurant's full inspection history, including violation details and scores, at NYC's official open data portal or through the DOHMH restaurant inspection lookup tool.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for D & S Bakery including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.