Manhattan Restaurants Score Grade B on April 3, 2026

New York, NY — Two Manhattan restaurants received Grade B scores during New York City Health Department inspections conducted on April 3, 2026, with an average score of 17 points across both establishments. Scores in the Grade B range indicate documented violations that require correction but do not represent an immediate threat to public health.

The Inspections

In the Two Bridges neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, Four Guys Pizza at 223 Madison Street received a score of 18 during its April 3 inspection. Inspectors recorded a critical violation related to temperature control: hot time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food was not held at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, as required under the FDA Food Code and NYC Health Code Article 81. Proper hot-holding temperatures are a foundational food safety requirement, as TCS foods held below that threshold can support the growth of pathogens. The restaurant's grade is currently listed as N (not yet graded), which typically reflects an initial inspection where a re-inspection is scheduled before a grade is officially posted.

In Greenwich Village, Maestro at 102 MacDougal Street received a score of 16, placing it on the lower end of the Grade B range. Inspectors noted that the establishment was not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects, or other pests — a violation that falls under NYC Health Code Article 81's provisions on facility maintenance and pest prevention. Maestro's grade is listed as Pending, indicating the restaurant is within the inspection cycle window during which it may request a re-inspection before a letter grade is formally assigned and posted.

Common Patterns

Both inspections on April 3 point to two distinct but commonly cited violation categories across New York City restaurants: temperature control failures and facility maintenance issues.

The temperature violation at Four Guys Pizza falls into what the NYC Health Department classifies as a critical violation — one that, if not corrected, could directly contribute to foodborne illness. Hot-holding failures are among the most frequently cited critical violations citywide, appearing regularly across cuisine types and establishment sizes. The FDA Food Code sets 140 degrees Fahrenheit as the minimum safe holding temperature for hot foods, and inspectors verify compliance using calibrated thermometers during routine inspections.

The pest-harborage citation at Maestro represents a non-critical but significant public health concern. Conditions that attract or shelter pests — such as gaps in walls or floors, improperly stored food, or accumulated debris — can lead to more serious violations if left unaddressed. This category of violation is among the most commonly cited in NYC restaurant inspections, particularly in older building stock common throughout Greenwich Village.

The two restaurants span different cuisine types — pizza and Italian — and are located in neighborhoods roughly two miles apart. No single neighborhood or cuisine category can be identified as a trend based on this two-restaurant dataset.

What This Means for Diners

A Grade B does not mean a restaurant is unsafe to visit. Under the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's grading system, a Grade B score between 14 and 27 points indicates that violations were found and must be corrected, but that the establishment did not reach the threshold for a Grade C or for immediate closure.

Restaurants that score in the B range are typically given the opportunity to request a re-inspection, during which they can demonstrate that cited violations have been corrected. If they score in the A range at re-inspection, they may post the A grade. If a grade remains B after the re-inspection cycle, the restaurant must post a B grade card visibly at the entrance.

Diners can check the current grade and full inspection history for any NYC restaurant through the NYC Health Department's online restaurant inspection database. Grades posted at restaurant entrances reflect the most recent completed grading cycle, and the online database includes the specific violations cited at each inspection, the number of points assessed, and whether violations were classified as critical or general.

Both Four Guys Pizza and Maestro are currently in pending or not-yet-graded status, meaning their final posted grade for this inspection cycle has not yet been determined.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a letter-grade system tied directly to the point total recorded during a Department of Health inspection:

• Grade A: 0 to 13 points. The restaurant had no violations, or only minor violations with low point values.
• Grade B: 14 to 27 points. Violations were found and must be corrected; re-inspection is offered before grade is posted.
• Grade C: 28 or more points. More significant violations were found; re-inspection is offered before grade is posted.

Points are assigned based on the type and severity of each violation. Critical violations — those most directly linked to foodborne illness risk — carry higher point values than general violations related to facility conditions or record-keeping.

Inspections are conducted by trained Environmental Health Inspectors employed by the NYC Department of Health. Initial inspections are unannounced. Restaurants that score below an A on their initial inspection are offered a re-inspection, typically within a month, before a grade is officially assigned and required to be posted publicly.

Diners seeking inspection records can search by restaurant name or address at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene restaurant inspection results page. The NYC OpenData portal also provides downloadable inspection data updated daily.