Brooklyn, NY — Florencia, a Jewish/Kosher restaurant located at 2925 Avenue P in Brooklyn, received a Grade C following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 17, 2026. The establishment recorded a score of 38, placing it in the Grade C range. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 19, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection documented one critical violation and one non-critical violation.

The critical violation — Code 04A — cited the absence of a Food Protection Certificate (FPC) held by a manager or supervisor of food operations. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, at least one supervisory-level employee at a food service establishment is required to hold a valid Food Protection Certificate, which demonstrates training in food safety principles and practices. The FPC is designed to ensure that someone in a managerial role is equipped to identify and prevent food safety hazards during daily operations.

The non-critical violation — Code 10F — identified non-food contact surfaces or equipment made of unacceptable materials, or not maintained in a condition that allows proper cleaning. Specifically, inspectors noted that surfaces or equipment were not kept clean or not properly sealed, raised, spaced, or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above, and underneath the unit.

Food Safety Context

The Food Protection Certificate requirement, enforced under NYC Health Code Article 81, is considered a foundational element of safe food service operations. The FPC program, administered by the DOHMH, requires food service workers to complete an 8-hour course and pass an exam covering topics including temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and personal hygiene standards. When no certified manager is present to supervise operations, the risk of undetected food handling errors increases.

Equipment maintenance and surface cleanliness requirements align with standards set forth in the FDA Food Code, which serves as the basis for many state and local food safety regulations. Inaccessible surfaces beneath or behind equipment can harbor bacteria, pests, or food residue if not regularly cleaned and sanitized.

A score of 38 places Florencia firmly in the Grade C category. Under the NYC restaurant grading system, a Grade C does not automatically result in closure, but it signals that correctable violations were present at the time of inspection. Restaurants may request a re-inspection to improve their grade.

Inspection History

Florencia's inspection record over the prior months shows a pattern of elevated scores and prior closures:

  • October 21, 2025: Score 0 (Grade Z)
  • October 20, 2025: Score 41, closed by DOHMH
  • October 16, 2025: Score 63, closed by DOHMH

The October 2025 inspections resulted in two consecutive closures before a follow-up inspection recorded a score of 0, indicating that the conditions prompting closure had been remediated at that time. The current March 2026 inspection reflects a return to a Grade C score, with a critical violation again documented.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

NYC DOHMH assigns letter grades to restaurants following each cycle inspection based on the total point score. Higher scores indicate more or more serious violations:

  • Grade A: Score of 0–13 points
  • Grade B: Score of 14–27 points
  • Grade C: Score of 28 or more points

Grades are required to be posted in the restaurant's front window. A Grade Z or Grade N may be posted during adjudication or when a restaurant has not yet received a letter grade following a re-inspection.

Consumers can review the full inspection history for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH's online restaurant inspection database at the NYC Open Data portal. All inspection records are public information.

More About This Restaurant

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