Brooklyn, NY — I Bakery 18, a bakery and dessert shop located at 7118 18th Avenue in the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, received a Grade C following a health inspection conducted March 18, 2026. Inspectors documented a score of 57, well above the 28-point threshold that results in a C grade under the New York City restaurant grading system. Inspection data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 23, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors cited one critical violation during the March inspection. The violation — classified under Code 02B — documented that hot temperature-controlled for safety (TCS) food items were not being held at or above 140°F as required.
Hot TCS foods include cooked items such as baked goods with custard or cream fillings, heated sandwiches, soups, and other prepared foods that require temperature control to prevent bacterial growth. When these items are held below the required 140°F threshold, they enter what food safety professionals call the "temperature danger zone," where pathogens such as Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus can multiply rapidly.
No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 governs food safety standards for all food service establishments operating in the five boroughs. Section 81.09 specifically addresses temperature requirements for hot and cold food storage, consistent with guidance set forth in the FDA Food Code.
The FDA Food Code identifies 140°F as the minimum safe holding temperature for hot TCS foods. Maintaining foods within safe temperature ranges is a foundational food safety practice, as temperature abuse is among the most common contributing factors to foodborne illness outbreaks in food service environments.
A single critical violation of this nature carries a significant point value under DOHMH's scoring methodology, which is why a single Code 02B citation contributed substantially to the establishment's overall score of 57. Under the city's grading system, each violation is assigned a point value based on its potential public health impact, with critical violations carrying higher point totals than general violations.
Inspection History
The March 2026 result represents a notable departure from the establishment's recent compliance record. Prior inspections on file with DOHMH show the following:
- October 16, 2024: Score 12 (Grade A)
- March 19, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
- May 11, 2023: Score 25
- April 5, 2022: Score 18 (Grade B)
- March 10, 2022: Score 29
The two most recent inspections before March 2026 both resulted in Grade A ratings, with scores of 12 and 13 — among the lowest possible scores, indicating strong compliance during those cycles. The establishment had also previously received scores in the Grade B and Grade C range in 2022 and 2023 before achieving those A grades.
Under DOHMH protocol, establishments that receive a score above 13 on an initial inspection are typically subject to a re-inspection cycle. Depending on the outcome of any subsequent inspection, the establishment may post either its inspection grade or an advisory notice while the re-inspection process is ongoing.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's letter grading system for restaurants is administered by DOHMH and is based on the score an establishment receives during a sanitary inspection. Grades are calculated as follows:
- A: Score of 0 to 13 points
- B: Score of 14 to 27 points
- C: Score of 28 points or more
Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Establishments are required to post their most current grade card in a location visible to the public, typically near the entrance.
Consumers can look up the full inspection history of any NYC food service establishment through the DOHMH's online restaurant inspection database at the NYC Open Data portal, or through the city's official restaurant lookup tool. Inspection records include violation details, scores, and grade history for all inspections on file.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for I Bakery 18 including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.