Manhattan, NY — Knock Out Cafe, a coffee and tea establishment located at 530 East 13th Street in Manhattan's East Village, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following a health inspection conducted on January 6, 2026. The inspection resulted in a score of 31 points, placing the restaurant in Grade C territory and marking the cafe's second closure in less than three weeks.

The closure was triggered by a critical food safety violation related to improper temperature control, according to public inspection records released by DOHMH on February 9, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

During the January 6 inspection, DOHMH inspectors identified one critical violation at the establishment:

  • Violation Code 05F: Insufficient or no hot holding, cold storage, or cold holding equipment provided to maintain Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS) at required temperatures.

This violation indicates that the cafe lacked adequate equipment to keep temperature-sensitive foods within safe ranges. TCS foods — which include items such as dairy products, prepared beverages with milk, and certain food ingredients commonly found in coffee shop operations — must be maintained at specific temperatures to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

No non-critical violations were documented during this inspection. The single critical violation was sufficient to result in a score of 31 points and the immediate closure of the establishment.

Food Safety Context

Temperature control is one of the most fundamental requirements in food safety regulation. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food establishments are required to maintain cold TCS foods at 41°F (5°C) or below and hot TCS foods at 140°F (60°C) or above. These thresholds align with the FDA Food Code, which identifies the range between 41°F and 140°F as the "temperature danger zone" where bacteria can multiply rapidly.

When an establishment lacks the proper equipment to maintain these temperatures, the risk of foodborne illness increases significantly. The FDA Food Code notes that bacterial populations can double every 20 minutes when TCS foods are held in the danger zone, making adequate refrigeration and hot holding equipment essential for any food service operation.

DOHMH inspectors are authorized to order the immediate closure of any establishment where conditions pose an imminent threat to public health. In this case, the absence of sufficient temperature control equipment was deemed serious enough to warrant closure, and the violations requiring immediate action were addressed.

Inspection History

The January 6, 2026 closure was not an isolated incident for Knock Out Cafe. Public records show a pattern of recent enforcement activity at the establishment:

  • January 7, 2026: Score of 0, Grade Z — establishment reopened following the January 6 closure
  • January 6, 2026: Score of 31, Grade C equivalent — establishment closed by DOHMH (critical violation for inadequate temperature control equipment)
  • December 18, 2025: Score of 133, Grade N — establishment closed by DOHMH

The December 18 inspection is particularly notable. A score of 133 points is exceptionally high, indicating numerous violations were documented during that visit. The Grade N designation indicates the restaurant was operating within a new inspection cycle and had not yet received a posted letter grade. That inspection also resulted in closure.

The cafe was able to reopen on January 7, 2026, one day after the most recent closure, with a reinspection score of 0 — indicating no violations were found at that time. The Grade Z designation on the reinspection is an administrative code used when a restaurant is being rescored following a closure.

The rapid cycle of closure and reopening — twice within a three-week period — suggests the establishment has faced ongoing challenges in maintaining consistent compliance with food safety standards.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points documented during an inspection:

  • Grade A: 0 to 13 points
  • Grade B: 14 to 27 points
  • Grade C: 28 or more points

Knock Out Cafe's score of 31 points on January 6 placed it in the Grade C range. Lower scores indicate fewer and less severe violations, while higher scores reflect more significant food safety concerns.

Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a reinspection and have the opportunity to improve their score. Establishments that are closed must correct the conditions that led to closure before they may reopen.

Public Resources

Consumers can look up the inspection history of any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH public database, which is updated regularly as new inspection data becomes available. The inspection data referenced in this article was conducted on January 6, 2026, with records released to the public on February 9, 2026.

Residents who wish to report food safety concerns at any NYC restaurant can contact 311 or file a complaint through the city's online portal. All inspection records cited in this article are drawn from publicly available DOHMH data.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Knock Out Cafe including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.