Manhattan Grade B Restaurant Inspections: April 1, 2026

New York, NY — Two Manhattan restaurants received Grade B scores from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on April 1, 2026, with an average score of 18 points. Both establishments were cited for violations that require correction but do not constitute an immediate public health hazard under the city's scoring system.

The Inspections

At Grand Central Terminal, Bourke Street Bakery — the Australian-style café located inside the landmark transit hub at 89 East 42nd Street — received a score of 20, earning a Grade Z designation. Inspectors cited the establishment for conditions conducive to pests, specifically noting that the establishment was not free of harborage or conditions that could attract rodents, insects, or other pests. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain facilities that prevent pest entry and harborage. A Grade Z indicates the restaurant has requested a re-grading inspection, which means the current grade may not yet reflect the outcome of that review.

On the Upper East Side, Chamoun's Way, a Lebanese restaurant at 1237 First Avenue, received a score of 16, placing it in Grade Pending status as the inspection cycle continues. Inspectors recorded two related violations both concerning personal cleanliness: staff were observed with outer garments soiled with possible contaminants, and effective hair restraints were not worn where required. One of these violations was flagged as critical. Under FDA Food Code guidelines, which the NYC Health Code incorporates by reference, food handlers are required to maintain clean outer garments and use appropriate hair restraints when working with or near exposed food. A critical violation indicates a condition with a higher potential to contribute to foodborne illness if not corrected.

Common Patterns

Both inspections on this date involved establishments in central Manhattan locations — one in Midtown near Grand Central Terminal and one on the Upper East Side. The violations, while different in category, share a common thread: they relate to facility and staff hygiene maintenance rather than temperature control or food sourcing.

The pest harborage violation at Bourke Street Bakery falls under environmental sanitation, a category that typically calls for structural or operational remediation such as sealing entry points, improving waste management, or scheduling pest control services. The personal cleanliness violations at Chamoun's Way fall under employee hygiene, one of the most directly correctable categories, as they often require staff training and enforcement of existing dress code policies.

Bakeries and food service operations in high-traffic transit environments like Grand Central Terminal face additional sanitation challenges due to foot traffic, shared ventilation, and proximity to other vendors. Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisines, which often involve open-prep cooking styles, are common in New York City's restaurant landscape and are subject to the same inspection criteria as all other cuisine types.

What This Means for Diners

A Grade B does not mean a restaurant is unsafe to visit. The NYC grading system is designed to create a transparent, public-facing record of inspection outcomes, and a B grade indicates violations were found that require follow-up but do not pose an immediate risk to public health. Many restaurants receive a B on an initial inspection and subsequently improve to an A upon reinspection.

Diners can look up current grades and full inspection histories for any NYC restaurant by visiting the NYC Department of Health's restaurant inspection search tool. Grade cards are required to be posted in a window visible from the street, giving customers real-time information before they enter.

It is also worth noting that both restaurants in this report carry grades in transitional status — Grade Z indicates a pending re-grading inspection, and Grade Pending indicates the inspection cycle is not yet complete. Final letter grades may differ once those processes conclude.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a points-based system to grade restaurant inspections. During an unannounced inspection, a Health Department inspector assesses compliance across dozens of criteria covering food handling, temperature control, facility cleanliness, pest prevention, and employee hygiene. Each violation carries a point value based on its severity.

• Grade A: 0 to 13 points — The restaurant meets or closely meets NYC food safety standards.
• Grade B: 14 to 27 points — Violations were found that need to be corrected; a re-grading inspection will follow.
• Grade C: 28 or more points — More significant violations were identified; re-inspection is required.

Restaurants that score a B or C on their initial inspection are offered a re-grading inspection after a set period, during which they have the opportunity to correct the cited violations and potentially earn a higher grade. A Grade Z is posted when a restaurant has scored B or C and has requested the re-grading inspection but has not yet had it conducted.

Critical violations — like those noted at Chamoun's Way — carry higher point values and are prioritized for correction because they involve conditions more directly associated with foodborne illness risk. Non-critical violations still require correction but carry lower point weights.

For complete inspection records, including violation details and score histories, diners can search any NYC restaurant at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's online inspection database. Inspection results are updated regularly and reflect the most recent completed inspection cycle.