Manhattan, NY — Fiftylan, a coffee and tea shop at 248 Mott Street in Nolita, received a Grade C after a March 2026 inspection by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) documented a score of 45 and 11 critical violations across food handling, sanitation, and certification requirements.

The inspection was conducted on March 24, 2026. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 15, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The most serious finding involved food adulteration and contamination risk. Inspectors cited the establishment under Code 04H, noting that raw, cooked, or prepared food was adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with the establishment's HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plan.

Inspectors also documented that food contact surfaces were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after each use — a violation of Code 06D. Wiping cloths were cited under Code 06F for not being stored clean and dry, or in an approved sanitizing solution, between uses.

Food protection and storage conditions generated an additional critical citation under Code 06C, with inspectors finding that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential contamination during storage, preparation, or service.

Thermometer availability was cited multiple times under Code 04J. Inspectors noted that properly scaled and calibrated thermometers or thermocouples were not provided or readily accessible in food preparation and hot and cold holding areas — equipment required to verify safe temperatures for temperature-controlled-for-safety (TCS) foods during cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding.

Code 04A — requiring that a manager or supervisor hold a valid Food Protection Certificate (FPC) — was cited three times, indicating no certified food protection manager was present or identified during the inspection.

Non-critical violations included the absence of a food allergy information poster in food preparation areas (Code 20-01, cited twice), failure to post healthy eating information (Code 20-08, cited twice), and providing single-use plastic straws to customers without a customer request in violation of local regulations (Code 19-06, cited three times).

In total, inspectors recorded 11 critical violations and 7 non-critical violations.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain food in a safe, unadulterated condition, ensure proper sanitation of food contact surfaces, and have at least one certified food protection manager on site. These requirements align with the FDA Food Code, which establishes baseline safety standards for temperature monitoring, contamination prevention, and employee certification.

The Food Protection Certificate requirement exists to ensure that at least one person in a supervisory role has completed formal training in food safety practices. Thermometer availability is a core tool for verifying that TCS foods — those that require temperature control to limit bacterial growth — are held, cooked, and cooled within safe ranges.

Violations in these categories are designated critical because they represent conditions with a direct potential to cause foodborne illness if not corrected.

Inspection History

No prior inspection history was available in DOHMH records for this establishment at the time this data was released.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades based on the total score accumulated during an inspection. Lower scores reflect fewer violations:

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

A score of 45 places Fiftylan in the Grade C range. Establishments have the right to request a re-inspection before a grade is posted publicly.

Diners can look up current inspection grades and full violation histories for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov/health. Grades must also be posted visibly at the establishment's entrance.

More About This Restaurant

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