Manhattan, NY — Lucindas, an American restaurant located at 169 Avenue A in Manhattan's East Village, received a Grade C following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 24, 2026. The inspection recorded a score of 34, placing the establishment in the Grade C range. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 26, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March inspection, citing the restaurant under Code 05D. The violation identified a failure to maintain a compliant handwashing facility in or adjacent to a toilet room, or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service, or ware washing area. Specifically, inspectors noted that a handwashing station was either inaccessible, obstructed, or used for purposes other than handwashing — or lacked required components such as hot and cold running water at adequate pressure, soap, or an acceptable hand-drying device.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection cycle.

The action taken was a citation for violations. The restaurant was not ordered closed at the time of inspection.

Food Safety Context

Handwashing compliance is a foundational requirement under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food service establishment operations in New York City. The FDA Food Code, which informs local regulations, identifies hand contact as one of the primary transmission routes for foodborne illness pathogens. Accessible, functioning handwashing facilities are required to be available to food handlers at all times during food preparation and service operations.

Code 05D violations are classified as critical because an inaccessible or non-functional handwashing station directly impairs a food handler's ability to prevent contamination. Obstructed sinks, improperly located facilities, or stations lacking soap or drying materials represent conditions that inspectors treat as a higher-risk category under the DOHMH scoring system.

A single critical violation of this nature carries a point weight sufficient to generate a Grade C outcome when combined with the overall inspection score.

Inspection History

Lucindas has maintained a consistent record of Grade A inspections in prior cycles. The recent Grade C result represents a departure from that pattern:

  • March 24, 2026: Score 34 (Grade C) — one critical violation cited
  • May 16, 2024: Score 2 (Grade A)
  • March 20, 2023: Score 10 (Grade A)
  • February 8, 2022: Score 7 (Grade A)

The restaurant's three most recent prior inspections each produced scores well within the Grade A range, with a low of 2 points recorded in May 2024. The March 2026 inspection score of 34 is a significant increase over that baseline.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades to restaurants following inspections based on the total number of points accumulated for violations. The grading scale is as follows:

  • A: 0–13 points (posted immediately)
  • B: 14–27 points (restaurant may request re-inspection before grade is posted)
  • C: 28 or more points (restaurant may request re-inspection before grade is posted)

Restaurants that score in the B or C range on an initial inspection are permitted to request a re-inspection before the letter grade is made public. If the establishment scores in the A range on that subsequent visit, the A grade is posted. If not, the grade from the re-inspection is posted. It is not publicly noted from the available data whether Lucindas has requested or completed a re-inspection following this cycle.

More About This Restaurant

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