Manhattan, NY — E.j's Luncheonette, located at 1271 Third Avenue on Manhattan's Upper East Side, received a Grade B following a health inspection conducted March 25, 2026. The restaurant posted a score of 24, placing it near the upper boundary of the B range and within three points of the Grade C threshold. Inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on April 1, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March inspection. No non-critical violations were cited.

The critical violation, recorded under Code 02H, involved improper cooling of temperature-controlled-for-safety (TCS) food. Specifically, inspectors found that food was not cooled using an approved method after cooking or removal from hot holding. Under applicable standards, TCS food must be reduced from 140°F to 70°F within two hours, and from 70°F to 41°F within an additional four hours.

Failure to meet these cooling benchmarks is considered a critical violation because food held within the temperature danger zone — between 41°F and 140°F — can allow harmful bacteria to multiply to unsafe levels.

Food Safety Context

Improper cooling is among the most commonly cited contributors to foodborne illness outbreaks in food service environments. NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code both establish strict time-and-temperature requirements for cooling cooked and hot-held foods. These standards are designed to prevent pathogen growth during the cooling process, which represents one of the higher-risk stages of food handling.

A single critical violation of this type carries significant point weight under DOHMH's scoring system, which contributed to the restaurant's score of 24 — a result that, while still within the B range, reflects meaningful food safety concerns identified during the inspection.

Inspection History

E.j's Luncheonette has had a variable inspection record over the past several years:

  • May 4, 2026: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • September 10, 2025: Score 22 (Grade Z)
  • March 21, 2025: Score 18
  • February 12, 2024: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • March 29, 2023: Score 19

The restaurant's most recent follow-up inspection, conducted May 4, 2026, resulted in a score of 12 and a Grade A, indicating that conditions had improved since the March inspection. The Grade Z designation on the September 2025 record indicates a score that was pending grade assignment at that time.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades based on inspection scores under the following scale:

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

Lower scores reflect fewer or less severe violations. A score of 24 falls in the upper portion of the B range. Restaurants that receive a B or C on an initial inspection are typically re-inspected within 30 to 60 days, during which they may qualify for a higher grade.

Consumers can review current and historical inspection records for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database, available at nyc.gov.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for E.j's Luncheonette including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.