Brooklyn, NY — La Locanda, an Italian restaurant at 432 Graham Avenue in Williamsburg, received a Grade B score of 27 following a health inspection conducted on March 11, 2026. The score places the restaurant at the top of the Grade B range, just one point below the Grade C threshold of 28. Inspectors identified one critical violation during the visit.

The inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 13, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection documented a single critical violation under DOHMH violation code 06D: food contact surfaces were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

This violation addresses surfaces that come into direct contact with food during preparation and service, including cutting boards, prep tables, utensils, and equipment. When these surfaces are not cleaned and sanitized between uses, they can facilitate the transfer of bacteria and other contaminants between food items — a process known as cross-contamination.

No non-critical violations were recorded during the inspection.

Food Safety Context

Proper sanitation of food contact surfaces is a fundamental requirement under both NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code. These regulations require that food contact surfaces be washed, rinsed, and sanitized between each use, when switching between raw and ready-to-eat foods, and after any event that may introduce contamination.

The FDA Food Code specifies that food contact surfaces must be sanitized using approved methods, including chemical sanitizing solutions at proper concentrations or hot water at temperatures of 171°F or above. This requirement exists because improperly sanitized surfaces are a recognized contributing factor in foodborne illness.

While only one violation was cited, the resulting score of 27 reflects the weight DOHMH assigns to critical food safety violations. A single critical finding can carry significant point values under the city's inspection scoring system, and in this case it was sufficient to move the restaurant from its previous Grade A standing into Grade B territory — at the very upper boundary of that range.

Inspection History

La Locanda's prior inspection record shows a consistent pattern of Grade A scores before this visit:

  • Oct 24, 2024: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • May 30, 2023: Score 2 (Grade A)
  • Apr 28, 2022: Score 9 (Grade A)

The May 2023 score of 2 was notably low, indicating a near-clean inspection. The March 2026 result represents a significant departure from this established record.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on the total points accumulated during an inspection. Points are assigned for each violation found, with critical violations carrying higher point values:

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

Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. La Locanda's score of 27 sits at the maximum end of the Grade B range. Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection to attempt to improve their score.

Consumers can look up any restaurant's inspection history through the DOHMH restaurant grading search portal or by visiting NYCRestaurantInspections.com. Inspection grade cards are required to be posted at the entrance of every restaurant in New York City.

More About This Restaurant

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