Brooklyn, NY — Nora's Park Bench Cafe, located at 3019 Quentin Road in Brooklyn, received a Grade B following a health inspection conducted March 31, 2026. The restaurant scored 26 points — placing it at the upper end of the B range and two points below the Grade C threshold. Inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on April 2, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the visit, citing a lapse in personal cleanliness under Code 06A. The violation covers a range of hygiene requirements for food service workers, including soiled outer garments, the absence of effective hair restraints where required, jewelry worn on hands or arms, and fingernails that are not kept clean, trimmed, or free of polish.

No non-critical violations were recorded during the inspection.

Critical violations are defined by DOHMH as those with a direct or significant relationship to factors that can cause foodborne illness. Personal cleanliness requirements for food handlers are intended to prevent the transfer of contaminants from workers to food, food contact surfaces, and equipment.

Food Safety Context

Personal cleanliness standards for food service workers are established under NYC Health Code Article 81 and align with the FDA Food Code. These requirements exist because food handlers represent a direct potential pathway for biological contamination. Soiled garments, unrestrained hair, and unclean fingernails can introduce pathogens into food preparation areas.

Critical violations carry higher point values in New York City's scoring system and have a greater impact on a restaurant's final inspection score. A single critical violation can account for a significant portion of a restaurant's total score.

Inspection History

Nora's Park Bench Cafe has been inspected multiple times in recent years. The record shows variability in scores:

  • March 31, 2026: Score 26 (Grade B)
  • March 21, 2026: Score 26
  • December 26, 2023: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • September 26, 2022: Score 21 (Grade B)
  • January 13, 2022: Score 34

The restaurant achieved a Grade A in late 2023, reflecting a period of stronger compliance. The current score represents a return to B-range performance, consistent with the September 2022 result. The January 2022 score of 34 fell in Grade C territory.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on their inspection scores, posted publicly at the establishment. The grading scale is as follows:

  • Grade A: 0–13 points (lowest violation severity)
  • Grade B: 14–27 points
  • Grade C: 28 or more points

Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. A score of 26 — while still within the B range — sits near the upper boundary, leaving little margin before a restaurant would receive a Grade C on a future inspection.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH online database at nyc.gov/health. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or cuisine type to review current and historical inspection results.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Nora's Park Bench Cafe including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.