Manhattan, NY — Nizza, an Italian restaurant located at 628 9th Avenue in Manhattan, received a score of 34 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on April 1, 2026. The score places the restaurant in the Grade C category, which applies to establishments scoring 28 points or higher. Inspection data was released publicly by DOHMH on April 6, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented two violations during the April visit — one critical and one non-critical.
The critical violation, cited under Code 06C, identified that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. Specifically, inspectors noted that condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and FDA Food Code guidelines, condiment handling practices are regulated to minimize the risk of cross-contamination between customers.
The non-critical violation, cited under Code 10F, noted that non-food contact surfaces or equipment were made of unacceptable material, were not kept clean, or were not properly sealed, raised, spaced, or arranged to allow adequate accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above, and underneath the unit. While non-critical violations do not indicate a direct food safety hazard, they reflect maintenance and sanitation standards required under the NYC Health Code.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 governs food service establishments throughout the five boroughs and sets standards for food handling, storage, equipment maintenance, and facility cleanliness. The FDA Food Code, which New York City's regulations are modeled on, classifies condiment contamination risks as a critical concern because improperly handled condiments can serve as a vehicle for bacterial transfer between patrons.
Critical violations are those most directly linked to conditions that could lead to foodborne illness. DOHMH assigns higher point values to critical violations than to non-critical ones, which is reflected in the weighted scoring system used to determine letter grades. A single critical violation can significantly affect an establishment's overall score.
Inspectors assess each violation independently, and restaurants have the opportunity to correct cited conditions and request a re-inspection to improve their grade.
Inspection History
Nizza's inspection record prior to the April 2026 visit had been consistently strong. The restaurant earned Grade A scores across multiple consecutive inspections:
- October 22, 2024: Score 7 (Grade A)
- May 3, 2023: Score 9 (Grade A)
- January 5, 2023: Score 11 (Grade A)
- February 17, 2022: Score 22 (no grade recorded)
The April 2026 score of 34 represents a notable increase from the 7-point score recorded in October 2024. The restaurant had maintained Grade A status across at least three consecutive graded inspections before the current cycle.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system was introduced in 2010 and requires restaurants to post their current grade card in a front window visible to the public. Grades are determined by the score assigned during a DOHMH inspection:
- A: 0 to 13 points
- B: 14 to 27 points
- C: 28 points or more
Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Restaurants that receive a B or C score on an initial inspection are offered a re-inspection before a letter grade is officially assigned and required to be posted. During the intervening period, establishments may post a "Grade Pending" card.
Members of the public can look up current and historical inspection records for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH's online restaurant inspection database at NYC.gov. The database is updated regularly as new inspection data is processed and released.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Nizza including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.