Brooklyn, NY — La Bella Pizzeria, located at 8509 20th Avenue in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, received a score of 76 during a health inspection conducted on February 18, 2026. The score places the restaurant well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C, the lowest letter grade issued by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). Inspectors documented evidence of mouse activity on the premises.

What Inspectors Found

During the February 18 inspection, DOHMH inspectors identified one critical violation at the establishment:

  • Evidence of mice or live mice in the establishment's food or non-food areas (NYC Health Code Violation 04L).

This violation accounted for the entirety of the restaurant's critical findings during the inspection. No non-critical violations were cited. Despite only one violation being recorded, the score of 76 reflects the severity assigned to pest-related conditions under the city's inspection scoring system.

A score of 76 is notably high. For context, a restaurant must score 13 or below to receive a Grade A, and any score of 28 or above results in a Grade C. La Bella Pizzeria's score was nearly three times the Grade C threshold.

Food Safety Context

Mouse activity in a food establishment presents serious public health concerns. According to the FDA Food Code, pests such as rodents can contaminate food, food-contact surfaces, and food preparation areas through droppings, urine, and hair. Rodents are known carriers of pathogens including Salmonella and Hantavirus.

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain their premises free of conditions that attract or harbor pests. This includes sealing entry points, proper food storage, waste management, and routine pest control measures. The presence of evidence of mice — which can include droppings, gnaw marks, grease marks along walls, or nesting materials — indicates a failure to meet these sanitation standards.

DOHMH assigns point values to violations based on the nature and severity of the condition. Pest-related violations, particularly those involving mice and rats, are classified as critical violations and carry significant point values due to their direct relationship to foodborne illness risk.

Inspection History

The February 2026 score represents a significant departure from La Bella Pizzeria's prior inspection record. The restaurant had previously maintained relatively low scores:

  • May 9, 2024: Score 7 (Grade A)
  • November 15, 2022: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • April 26, 2022: Score 23

The restaurant earned Grade A scores in both its 2024 and late-2022 inspections, with scores of 7 and 12 respectively. The April 2022 inspection resulted in a score of 23, which falls in the Grade B range but did not result in a letter grade assignment during that cycle. The jump from a score of 7 in May 2024 to 76 in February 2026 represents a substantial change in the establishment's inspection performance.

It should be noted that the inspection data was released by DOHMH on February 23, 2026, five days after the inspection was conducted. Conditions at the restaurant may have changed between the inspection date and the publication of this report.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total points accumulated during an inspection. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations:

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

Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection are offered a re-inspection, typically within 30 days. The restaurant may post a "Grade Pending" card while awaiting the re-inspection or the outcome of an adjudication hearing at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).

Consumers can look up the inspection history of any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH online database or by visiting the NYC Open Data portal. La Bella Pizzeria's full inspection record, including all violations and scores, is available as public record through these resources.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for La Bella Pizzeria including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.