Bronx, NY — Keur Aisha Sante Yallah African Restaurant, located at 1460 Boston Road in the Bronx, received a Grade C designation following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on April 7, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 36, with three critical violations and one non-critical violation cited. Inspection data was released publicly on April 9, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
The most significant violation documented during the April inspection was the presence of live roaches in the facility. Inspectors cited Code 04M, identifying live roaches in the restaurant's food or non-food areas. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and FDA Food Code standards, pest activity in a food service establishment constitutes a critical violation due to the direct risk of contamination to food, food contact surfaces, and preparation areas.
A second critical violation involved hot temperature-controlled for safety (TCS) food items not held at or above 140°F, as required under Code 02B. Maintaining proper hot-holding temperatures is a foundational food safety requirement intended to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria including Salmonella, Listeria, and Staphylococcus aureus.
Inspectors also cited Code 06C, finding that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential contamination during storage, preparation, or service. This violation category also encompasses condiments not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor — a requirement designed to limit cross-contamination between customers.
The single non-critical violation, Code 10F, noted that non-food contact surfaces or equipment were made of unacceptable materials, not kept clean, or not properly sealed or positioned to allow adequate cleaning access on all sides, above, and underneath the unit.
Food Safety Context
Under NYC Health Code Article 81, all permitted food service establishments are subject to unannounced inspections by DOHMH. Violations are assigned point values based on their severity and potential public health risk. Critical violations — those most likely to contribute to foodborne illness — carry higher point values than non-critical violations.
The FDA Food Code, which informs New York City's regulatory standards, identifies pest infestation and improper temperature control as two of the leading contributing factors in foodborne illness outbreaks. Facilities that accumulate 28 or more points during an inspection receive a Grade C, the lowest letter grade issued under New York City's grading system.
A restaurant scoring in the Grade C range is not automatically ordered closed. Closure requires a separate administrative action by DOHMH, typically when a facility fails to correct conditions that present an imminent public health hazard. No closure action was recorded in connection with the April 7, 2026 inspection.
Inspection History
The April 2026 inspection is consistent with a pattern of elevated scores at this location over the past several years. The restaurant's documented inspection record includes:
- April 7, 2026: Score 36 (Grade C)
- September 25, 2025: Score 32
- April 23, 2025: Score 41 (Grade Z)
- March 6, 2025: Score 37
- September 7, 2023: Score 11 (Grade A)
- June 13, 2023: Score 21
- May 30, 2023: Score 30
The restaurant achieved a Grade A score of 11 in September 2023, but subsequent inspections have consistently resulted in scores in the Grade C range. The April 2025 inspection recorded a score of 41 with a Grade Z designation, which DOHMH assigns when a grade is pending administrative review.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant letter grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns grades based on the total number of points accumulated during an inspection:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points
- Grade C: 28 points or more
Grades are required to be posted in a visible location at the restaurant's entrance. Consumers can look up full inspection records, including violation details and scores, through the DOHMH restaurant search tool available at the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection records are public information and are updated as new inspections are completed.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Keur Aisha Sante Yallah African Restaurant including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.