Staten Island, NY — Express Caffe, located at 960 Bloomingdale Road, received a Grade B rating following a health inspection conducted on February 21, 2026. The coffee and tea establishment scored 25 points, placing it near the upper threshold of the B grade range, which spans 14 to 27 points under New York City's restaurant grading system.
What Inspectors Found
Health inspectors documented one critical violation during the February inspection. The primary finding involved the establishment's handwashing facilities, identified under violation code 05D. According to inspection records, inspectors found either no handwashing facility in or adjacent to the toilet room, or the facility was not within the required 25 feet of food preparation, service, or ware washing areas. The violation also noted that handwashing facilities may have been inaccessible, obstructed, or used for purposes other than handwashing. Additionally, inspectors documented issues with hot and cold running water at adequate pressure, or the absence of required soap and acceptable hand-drying devices.
Food Safety Context
Handwashing facilities represent a fundamental component of food safety protocols established under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code. These regulations require food service establishments to maintain accessible handwashing stations with hot and cold running water, soap, and appropriate hand-drying methods at specific locations throughout the facility. The requirement stems from documented evidence that proper hand hygiene significantly reduces the transmission of foodborne pathogens from food workers to prepared foods.
The 25-point score places Express Caffe in the upper portion of the Grade B range, approaching the 28-point threshold where establishments receive a Grade C rating. Under the city's point-based system, critical violations typically carry higher point values than non-critical violations due to their direct connection to foodborne illness risk factors identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Inspection History
This represents the first inspection record available for Express Caffe in the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene database. The establishment had no documented prior inspection history at the time data was released on March 11, 2026.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system operates on a point-based structure where lower scores indicate better compliance with health code requirements:
- Grade A: 0-13 points
- Grade B: 14-27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Inspectors assign points for each violation identified during an inspection, with critical violations receiving higher point values than non-critical violations. Establishments scoring 14 or more points may request a re-inspection, typically conducted within 30 days, to attempt to improve their grade before the required public posting of inspection results.
The inspection was conducted approximately three weeks before the Department of Health released the data to the public, reflecting the standard processing timeline between field inspections and official data publication.
Additional information about restaurant inspection results and food safety regulations is available through the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website at nyc.gov/health/foodsafety. Consumers can search current inspection results for any licensed food service establishment in New York City through the agency's public database.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Express Caffe including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.