Queens, NY — Nomads Brews & Bar, an Indian restaurant located at 72-22 Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, received a score of 73 points during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on November 24, 2025. The score places the establishment well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C, the lowest letter grade assigned under the city's restaurant grading system.

<a href=Nomads Brews & Bar restaurant inspection" width="400" height="225" loading="eager" decoding="async" class="article-featured-image">Illustrative image — not a photo of the actual business

The inspection identified one critical violation at the Roosevelt Avenue location. The inspection data was released by DOHMH on February 27, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

During the inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented a single critical violation related to sanitation practices at the restaurant:

Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses (Violation Code 06F). This violation is classified as critical because improperly stored wiping cloths can harbor and spread bacteria across food preparation surfaces, equipment, and serving areas. When wiping cloths are not maintained in an approved sanitizing solution or kept clean and dry between uses, they become a potential vehicle for cross-contamination.

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

While only one violation was documented, the 73-point score indicates the severity assigned to the finding under the DOHMH point-based scoring system. Violation scores are determined by the nature of the violation, the condition observed, and the specific circumstances at the time of inspection.

Food Safety Context

The proper handling of wiping cloths is addressed under both local and federal food safety frameworks. NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes sanitation requirements for food service establishments operating within the five boroughs, including standards for the cleaning and storage of cloths used to wipe surfaces and equipment.

The FDA Food Code, which serves as a model for local health regulations nationwide, specifies that wet wiping cloths used for cleaning food-contact and non-food-contact surfaces must be stored in a sanitizing solution of appropriate concentration between uses. Dry wiping cloths must be maintained in a clean, dry state. These requirements exist to prevent the transfer of harmful microorganisms from contaminated surfaces to food or clean equipment.

Cross-contamination through improperly maintained wiping cloths has been identified by public health authorities as a contributing factor in foodborne illness outbreaks. The FDA Food Code recommends that sanitizing solutions used for storing wiping cloths meet minimum concentration requirements for agents such as chlorine, quaternary ammonium, or iodine.

Inspection History

No prior inspection history is available for Nomads Brews & Bar in the DOHMH public database. This may indicate that the November 2025 inspection was the establishment's first recorded cycle, or that prior records are not included in the current dataset.

The absence of prior inspection data means there is no baseline for comparison regarding the restaurant's historical compliance with health code standards.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points accumulated during an inspection. The grading scale is as follows:

  • Grade A: 0 to 13 points — Indicates strong compliance with health code standards
  • Grade B: 14 to 27 points — Indicates moderate violations identified during inspection
  • Grade C: 28 or more points — Indicates significant violations requiring attention

Nomads Brews & Bar's score of 73 points falls into the Grade C category, exceeding the minimum threshold by 45 points. Restaurants that receive a Grade C on an initial inspection are entitled to a re-inspection, during which they have the opportunity to demonstrate corrective actions and potentially earn a higher grade.

Restaurants are required to post their letter grade in a conspicuous location visible to the public. Consumers can also look up inspection results for any restaurant in New York City through the DOHMH online database.

All inspection data referenced in this article is sourced from publicly available DOHMH records. Residents seeking additional information about restaurant inspection scores, grading procedures, or food safety standards can visit the NYC Department of Health website or call 311.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Nomads Brews & Bar including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.