Manhattan, NY — Milky Ice, a frozen dessert establishment located at 130 East 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan, received a score of 92 during a routine health inspection conducted on March 19, 2026, resulting in a Grade C rating. Inspectors documented 12 critical violations and 14 non-critical violations during the visit. Inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 27, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection identified a range of violations across food safety, facility conditions, and documentation requirements.

Among the most significant critical findings, inspectors cited the establishment on two separate counts for lacking accessible hand washing facilities. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, hand washing stations must be available, unobstructed, and stocked with soap and an approved hand-drying method within 25 feet of food preparation, service, and ware washing areas. Inspectors documented this condition as absent or inaccessible during the visit.

Inspectors also cited the restaurant on multiple counts for the absence of a Food Protection Certificate (Code 04A) held by a manager or supervisor of food operations. NYC Health Code requires that at least one certified food protection manager be present and identifiable during food service operations.

A critical violation under Code 04J was noted twice: the establishment did not have a properly scaled and calibrated thermometer or thermocouple readily accessible in food preparation and holding areas. Accurate temperature measurement is required for monitoring temperature-controlled for safety (TCS) foods during cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding processes.

Two additional critical violations were recorded under Code 05E, noting that the employee and patron toilet facility was accessible only through a kitchen, food preparation, storage, or utensil washing area — a configuration prohibited under applicable health code provisions.

Inspectors also cited violations under Code 05H on two occasions, finding no approved written standard operating procedure in place for preventing contamination from refillable or returnable containers. A Code 06C violation was documented for food, supplies, or equipment not adequately protected from potential contamination sources, including condiments not served in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.

Among the 14 non-critical violations, inspectors repeatedly cited the absence of required informational postings. These included food allergy information posters (Code 20-01, cited four times), healthy eating information postings (Code 20-08, cited three times), and required safety signage — including choking first aid, alcohol and pregnancy warnings, and resuscitation equipment notices (Code 20-04, cited twice). Pest management documentation violations under Code 28-06 were also recorded three times, noting both the absence of a contract with a pest management professional and the absence of extermination activity records on premises. Non-food contact surface maintenance issues under Code 10F were cited twice as well.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the food safety standards applicable to all food service establishments operating within the five boroughs. The FDA Food Code, which serves as a model framework adopted and adapted by New York City, identifies hand washing access and temperature monitoring as foundational safeguards against foodborne illness transmission.

Critical violations are those most directly associated with conditions that can lead to foodborne illness. The DOHMH assigns point values to each violation based on risk level, and an establishment's total score determines its grade. A score of 92 points places this inspection well above the Grade C threshold.

Inspection History

According to records available through the DOHMH, no prior inspection history is available for Milky Ice at this location.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

The DOHMH issues letter grades based on the total point score assigned during inspection:

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

Establishments that receive a grade other than A may request a re-inspection or an administrative hearing. Grades must be posted conspicuously at the establishment's entrance.

Consumers can look up current and historical inspection records for any NYC food service establishment through the DOHMH's online restaurant inspection database at nyc.gov/health.

More About This Restaurant

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