Manhattan, NY — Jose Luis Little Italy, a Italian restaurant at 115 Mulberry Street in Manhattan's Little Italy neighborhood, received a score of 45 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on April 7, 2026. The score places the establishment in the Grade C range, which applies to restaurants scoring 28 points or higher under the city's grading system. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 10, 2026.

Inspectors documented two critical violations and two non-critical violations during the visit.

What Inspectors Found

The most significant violations identified during the April inspection involve food worker hygiene and equipment sanitation — both classified as critical under NYC Health Code Article 81.

Inspectors cited the restaurant under Code 06A for inadequate personal cleanliness. This violation covers a range of hygiene failures, including outer garments soiled with possible contaminants, absence of effective hair restraints in required areas, jewelry worn on hands or arms during food handling, and fingernails that are not kept clean, trimmed, or free of polish. Under the FDA Food Code, food workers are required to maintain a level of personal cleanliness that prevents contamination of food, equipment, and utensils.

A second critical violation was recorded under Code 06E, which addresses the improper use or storage of sanitized equipment or utensils, including in-use food dispensing utensils. Proper storage of sanitized equipment is required to prevent recontamination before use, as outlined in NYC Health Code Article 81 and supported by FDA Food Code guidelines on equipment and utensil maintenance.

Two non-critical violations were also noted. Code 08A was cited for conditions conducive to harborage of rodents, insects, or other pests — meaning the physical environment presented conditions that could attract or shelter pests, though no active infestation was necessarily documented. Code 10C was cited for inadequate lighting in food preparation, ware washing, or storage areas, and for the absence of shatterproof bulbs or protective shields designed to prevent broken glass from falling onto food or preparation surfaces.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain standards covering personal hygiene, equipment sanitation, pest prevention, and physical facility conditions. The FDA Food Code, which informs local health codes across the country, establishes that food employees must minimize bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods and maintain clothing and personal habits that reduce contamination risk.

Critical violations are weighted more heavily in the scoring system because they represent conditions with a more direct potential for foodborne illness. Each critical violation carries a higher point value than non-critical violations, which relate more to operational and facility conditions.

Inspection History

Jose Luis Little Italy has an extended inspection record with DOHMH. Prior scored inspections include:

  • 2026-06-09: Score not yet assigned
  • 2025-08-26: Score 58 (Grade Z)
  • 2025-05-13: Score 25
  • 2024-04-03: Score 14
  • 2023-09-21: Score 68 (Grade C)
  • 2023-08-23: Score 41

The record shows variability across inspection cycles, including a Grade C score in September 2023 and a score of 58 in August 2025. A score of 25 in May 2025 had placed the restaurant within the Grade B range prior to the subsequent August visit.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on the total points accumulated during an inspection:

  • A: 0 to 13 points (least serious violations)
  • B: 14 to 27 points
  • C: 28 or more points (most serious or numerous violations)

Restaurants scoring in the B or C range may request a re-inspection before a grade is officially posted. The grade card displayed in the restaurant window must reflect the most recent graded inspection result.

Consumers can look up the full inspection history for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database, available at the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection reports detail each violation by code, whether it was cited as critical or non-critical, and the corrective action taken or required.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Jose Luis Little Italy including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.