Manhattan, NY — Fasano, the Italian restaurant located at 280 Park Avenue, received a score of 25 following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on April 2, 2026. The score places the restaurant in the Grade B range, within two points of the Grade C threshold. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 7, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the April visit, cited under Code 06E: sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensils, improperly used or stored. No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Critical violations carry greater point weight in New York City's scoring system because they represent conditions with a higher potential to contribute to foodborne illness. A single critical violation of this type can significantly affect a restaurant's final score, which in this case reached 25 — the upper portion of the Grade B band.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes requirements for the safe handling, storage, and sanitation of food equipment and utensils. Proper storage of sanitized equipment is a foundational food safety practice: once equipment or utensils have been cleaned and sanitized, they must be protected from recontamination before use. The FDA Food Code similarly specifies that equipment and utensils must be air-dried before being stored, and stored in a manner that protects them from contamination.

Improper storage or handling of sanitized items can introduce pathogens or contaminants to food contact surfaces, creating a risk of foodborne illness for diners.

Inspection History

Fasano's prior inspection record reflects consistent Grade A performance before this visit:

  • May 22, 2024: Score 7, Grade A
  • December 20, 2022: Score 7, Grade A
  • January 18, 2022: Score 5

The April 2026 score of 25 represents a notable departure from the restaurant's historical record. In each of the three preceding inspections on file, Fasano scored in the single digits, well within Grade A territory.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on their inspection scores, which reflect the number and severity of violations found:

  • A: Score of 0 to 13 points
  • B: Score of 14 to 27 points
  • C: Score of 28 points or higher

A score of 25 falls near the upper boundary of the Grade B range. Restaurants that score in the B or C range may request a re-inspection, at which point a grade is assigned based on the lower of the two scores.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH's Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov/health. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or cuisine type to review full violation histories and current grades.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Fasano including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.