Staten Island, NY — Kuzina The Greek Kitchen, located at 895 Huguenot Ave in Staten Island, received a Grade C following a health inspection conducted March 28, 2026, with a score of 28 points. The inspection, conducted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), identified one critical violation and four non-critical violations. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 6, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The most serious finding was a critical violation under Code 02H: after cooking or removal from hot holding, a temperature-controlled for safety (TCS) food was not cooled using an approved method. Specifically, inspectors documented that the internal temperature of the food was not reduced from 140°F to 70°F within two hours, and from 70°F to 41°F within the following four hours. Improper cooling of cooked foods is among the most commonly cited contributors to foodborne illness, as it allows bacterial growth during the period food spends in the temperature danger zone.

Four non-critical violations were also recorded:

  • Code 10F: Non-food contact surfaces or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, or spaced to allow cleaning on all sides.
  • Code 10E: An accurate thermometer was not provided or not properly located in refrigerated, cold storage, or hot holding equipment.
  • Code 20-06: The current letter grade or Grade Pending card was not posted as required.
  • Code 10H: Single-service articles were not protected from contamination during transport, storage, or dispensing.

Food Safety Context

The critical cooling violation cited at this inspection is addressed under NYC Health Code Article 81 and is consistent with standards outlined in the FDA Food Code. Both frameworks require that cooked TCS foods — including proteins, dairy-based items, and cooked starches — be rapidly cooled to prevent the proliferation of pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, and Clostridium perfringens.

The two-stage cooling requirement (140°F to 70°F within two hours, then to 41°F within four additional hours) is designed to move food through the temperature danger zone — generally defined as 41°F to 140°F — as quickly as possible. Violations of this standard are classified as critical because they represent a direct potential risk to public health.

The thermometer violation (Code 10E) compounds the concern: without accurate temperature monitoring equipment, staff cannot reliably verify that food storage equipment is maintaining proper holding temperatures.

The missing grade card (Code 20-06) is a separate compliance matter. NYC Health Code requires restaurants to display their current letter grade or a Grade Pending card in a location visible from the street or from where customers order, providing the public with transparent access to inspection results.

Inspection History

Kuzina The Greek Kitchen has been inspected several times in recent years. The prior record shows:

  • 2021-08-13: Score 9, Grade A
  • 2022-12-12: Score 0
  • 2023-09-18: Score 15, Grade B

The March 2026 inspection represents a decline from the restaurant's most recent prior score of 15 (Grade B) in September 2023. The establishment had previously achieved a Grade A in August 2021 with a score of 9, and a perfect score of 0 in December 2022.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant letter grading system is based on the total number of points assessed during an inspection, with lower scores reflecting better compliance:

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

A Grade C does not result in automatic closure. Restaurants scoring in this range may request a re-inspection or an adjudication hearing. If a restaurant is not closed by the inspector at the time of inspection and does not immediately correct violations, a Grade Pending card is typically posted until a final grade is determined.

Consumers can look up current and historical inspection records for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH's NYC Restaurant Inspection Results database, available at the NYC Open Data portal. Reporting a food safety concern can also be done through 311.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Kuzina The Greek Kitchen including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.