Manhattan, NY — Golan Heights, a kosher restaurant at 2553 Amsterdam Avenue in Washington Heights, received a score of 29 during a health inspection conducted on January 5, 2026, placing it in Grade C territory. Inspectors documented 11 critical violations and 9 non-critical violations during the evaluation, with findings that included live cockroaches and multiple food temperature control failures.
The inspection data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on February 23, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
The most significant finding involved live roaches documented in the facility's food and non-food areas. Inspectors cited the restaurant three separate times under Code 04M for the presence of live cockroaches, indicating the pest activity was observed in multiple locations throughout the establishment.
Food temperature control represented the most frequently cited category of violations. Inspectors recorded six separate violations under Code 02I, documenting that time and temperature control for safety (TCS) foods removed from cold holding or prepared from room-temperature ingredients were not being cooled to 41°F or below within the required four-hour window. An additional violation under Code 02B noted that hot TCS food items were not being held at or above the required 140°F threshold.
Inspectors also cited the restaurant under Code 06D for food contact surfaces not being properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Among the non-critical violations, the restaurant was cited six times under Code 15-37 for failing to prominently post the required workplace Smoke-Free Air Act policy. Three additional non-critical violations under Code 08A documented that the establishment was not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects, or other pests.
Food Safety Context
The violations documented at Golan Heights relate to several fundamental food safety requirements established under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code.
Temperature control violations are among the most closely monitored by health authorities. The FDA Food Code requires that TCS foods — those requiring time and temperature control for safety, such as meats, dairy products, and cooked vegetables — must be maintained at 41°F or below when cold-held and at 140°F or above when hot-held. The four-hour cooling requirement exists because the temperature range between 41°F and 140°F, known as the "danger zone," allows rapid bacterial growth that can lead to foodborne illness.
The presence of live cockroaches is classified as a critical violation because pests can carry and transmit pathogens including Salmonella and E. coli. Pest-related violations, combined with conditions conducive to pest harborage as noted in the non-critical findings, indicate environmental conditions that require remediation.
Proper sanitization of food contact surfaces is required to prevent cross-contamination between different food items and between raw and ready-to-eat foods.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available for this establishment in the DOHMH database. The January 5, 2026 inspection represents the first recorded evaluation in the current dataset. The restaurant received a designation of "Violations were cited in the following area(s)" as the action taken following the inspection.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points accumulated during an inspection. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations:
- A: 0–13 points
- B: 14–27 points
- C: 28 or more points
Golan Heights' score of 29 places it just above the Grade C threshold. Restaurants receiving a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection, and the better score of the two inspections determines the posted grade.
Consumers can look up any restaurant's inspection results through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database or by checking the letter grade posted at the establishment's entrance, as required by law. Inspection reports for all New York City restaurants are public record and available online at the NYC Open Data portal.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Golan Heights including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.