Manhattan, NY — Norma, an Italian restaurant located at 438 3rd Avenue in Manhattan, received a score of 30 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on April 1, 2026, placing it in Grade C territory. Inspectors documented two critical violations related to food sourcing and temperature control. No non-critical violations were recorded during the visit.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection identified two critical violations under the NYC Health Code.

The first, cited under Code 03A, involved food from an unapproved or unknown source, or food that was home canned, home prepared, or otherwise not obtained through regulated commercial channels. This category also covers Reduced Oxygen Packaged fish that was not frozen prior to processing, as well as ROP food prepared on premises and transported to another location. Inspectors noted at least one of these conditions was present at the time of inspection.

The second violation, cited under Code 02B, found that hot temperature-controlled-for-safety food was not maintained at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Under applicable food safety standards, hot TCS foods must be held at a minimum internal temperature of 140°F to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Failure to maintain this threshold is classified as a critical violation because it creates conditions under which pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, and Staphylococcus aureus can multiply to dangerous levels.

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

Food Safety Context

Both violations cited at Norma fall under critical classifications, meaning they represent conditions that, if left uncorrected, could directly contribute to foodborne illness.

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the food safety standards that all New York City food service establishments must follow. These standards are broadly consistent with the FDA Food Code, which serves as the national model for food safety regulation at the state and local level. The FDA Food Code identifies improper holding temperatures and unverified food sources as among the highest-risk factors in foodborne illness outbreaks.

Critical violations carry greater point penalties under the DOHMH scoring system. A single critical violation can account for 7 points or more depending on the specific condition found, which is why even two critical violations, with no non-critical violations accompanying them, produced a score of 30.

Under the DOHMH grading system, inspection scores are converted to letter grades posted publicly at the restaurant entrance. Grades reflect the score from the most recent scored inspection or re-inspection.

Inspection History

Norma's prior inspection record shows a generally strong performance before the April 2026 visit:

  • May 8, 2024: Score 2 (Grade A)
  • December 7, 2023: Score 27 (no grade assigned at that cycle)
  • August 17, 2022: Score 7 (Grade A)

The restaurant earned Grade A results in both 2022 and 2024. The December 2023 inspection produced a score of 27, which falls at the upper boundary of Grade B range, though grade assignment depends on whether that score came from an initial inspection or a re-inspection cycle. The April 2026 result represents a notable departure from recent performance.

The inspection was conducted on April 1, 2026. This data was released by DOHMH on April 8, 2026. Conditions at the restaurant may have changed since the inspection date.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter grading system for restaurants is based on the total number of points accumulated during a DOHMH inspection. Points are assigned for each violation found, with critical violations carrying higher point values than non-critical ones.

  • Grade A: Score of 0 to 13 points
  • Grade B: Score of 14 to 27 points
  • Grade C: Score of 28 points or higher

Restaurants that receive a score above Grade A on an initial inspection are typically offered a re-inspection before a grade is officially posted. The grade displayed at an establishment reflects the outcome of the most recently completed inspection cycle.

The full inspection record for Norma and all NYC food service establishments is available through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov/health. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or cuisine type to review complete inspection histories.

More About This Restaurant

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