Brooklyn, NY — La Fournaise, a coffee and tea establishment at 985 Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn, received a Grade C following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on March 30, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 78, well above the 28-point threshold that triggers a C grade. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 1, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection identified one critical violation and one non-critical violation.

The critical violation — Code 03A — documented that food was sourced from an unapproved or unknown origin. This category covers a range of prohibited practices, including the use of home-canned or home-prepared food items, animals slaughtered or dressed on premises, Reduced Oxygen Packaged (ROP) fish that was not frozen prior to processing, and ROP food prepared on site and transported to another location. The inspection record does not specify which particular condition within Code 03A was cited at this location.

Inspectors also noted a non-critical violation under Code 10H, related to single-service articles. The violation documented that drinking straws were not completely enclosed in a wrapper or dispensed from a sanitary device, a condition that can expose items intended for direct oral contact to potential contamination.

Food Safety Context

Food sourcing violations fall under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food preparation and handling standards for all permitted food service establishments in the city. The FDA Food Code, which New York City's regulations closely align with, requires that all food used in a commercial establishment come from approved sources — inspected suppliers, licensed distributors, or regulated processors — to ensure it meets established safety standards.

The concern behind Code 03A violations is traceability and safety verification. Food from unapproved sources cannot be confirmed to have undergone required safety inspections, temperature controls during storage and transport, or processing standards that reduce the risk of foodborne illness. These requirements apply to all food service establishments regardless of size or cuisine type.

The single-service article violation under Code 10H addresses sanitary handling of items that come into direct contact with a customer's mouth. While classified as non-critical, maintaining proper storage and dispensing of straws and similar items is part of baseline hygiene standards under both city and federal food safety guidelines.

Inspection History

La Fournaise has a limited inspection record on file:

  • 2026-05-11: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • 2026-03-30: Score 78 (Grade C)

Notably, the May 2026 inspection — which postdates the March inspection covered in this article — resulted in a Grade A with a score of 12, suggesting the establishment addressed the issues identified in March. The March inspection remains part of the public record.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system is based on the total number of points assigned during an inspection. Each violation carries a point value determined by its severity and potential public health impact. The grade ranges are:

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

Grades must be posted in a visible location at the restaurant's entrance. When a restaurant receives a grade other than A on an initial inspection, it is generally offered a re-inspection before the grade is made public, though the full inspection record — including scores from all visits — is available through the city's open data portal.

Residents can look up inspection records for any permitted food service establishment in New York City through the DOHMH's NYC Restaurant Inspection Results database, available at the NYC Open Data portal. Complaints about restaurant conditions can be submitted to 311.

More About This Restaurant

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