Manhattan, NY — Madman Espresso & Bagels, located at 256 5th Avenue in Manhattan, received a score of 37 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection, placing it in Grade C territory. The inspection, conducted on December 30, 2025, documented one critical violation related to the improper use or storage of sanitized equipment and utensils.
The inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 16, 2026, approximately 11 weeks after the inspection took place.
What Inspectors Found
During the inspection, DOHMH inspectors cited Madman Espresso & Bagels for one critical violation under code 06E: sanitized equipment or utensils, including in-use food dispensing utensils, were found to be improperly used or stored.
This violation indicates that equipment or utensils that had undergone sanitization were not being maintained in a manner consistent with food safety standards. Proper handling of sanitized items is essential to prevent recontamination — when clean equipment comes into contact with unsanitary surfaces, hands, or other contaminants before being used to prepare or serve food.
While the inspection recorded one critical violation and no non-critical violations, the establishment's total score of 37 points placed it well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C designation. Under NYC's scoring system, points are assigned based on the severity and conditions observed during the inspection, and a single violation can carry a significant point value depending on the specific circumstances documented by the inspector.
The action recorded by DOHMH was that violations were cited in the identified area. No closure was ordered as a result of this inspection.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the regulatory framework for food service establishments operating in the city. The code requires that all food contact surfaces, equipment, and utensils be properly cleaned, sanitized, and stored to prevent contamination.
The FDA Food Code, which serves as a model for local health regulations nationwide, specifies that sanitized equipment and utensils must be stored in a clean, dry location and protected from contamination until use. Equipment that has been sanitized but is then improperly stored — such as being placed on unsanitary surfaces, stored in areas exposed to splash or dust, or handled with unwashed hands — can become a vector for bacterial contamination.
Maintaining proper storage and handling of sanitized equipment is considered a fundamental component of food safety management, as it represents one of the final steps in preventing harmful microorganisms from reaching food that will be served to customers.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available for Madman Espresso & Bagels in the DOHMH public database. This may indicate that the December 2025 inspection was the establishment's first recorded inspection, or that prior records are not currently reflected in the publicly available dataset.
Without historical data, it is not possible to identify trends in the restaurant's compliance record or compare this inspection outcome to previous performance.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points recorded during an inspection:
- Grade A: 0–13 points
- Grade B: 14–27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. A Grade C score of 37, as recorded for Madman Espresso & Bagels, reflects conditions that exceeded the threshold for both A and B grades.
Restaurants that receive a Grade C on an initial inspection have the opportunity to request a re-inspection. The establishment may also contest the grade through an administrative tribunal hearing. Until the matter is resolved, the restaurant may post a "Grade Pending" card rather than displaying the C grade.
All New York City restaurant inspection results are public record and can be accessed through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database. Consumers can search inspection histories, view violation details, and track grade changes for any food service establishment in the city.
For the most current information about Madman Espresso & Bagels' inspection status, residents can visit the NYC DOHMH restaurant grades portal or call 311.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Madman Espresso& Bagels including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.