Brooklyn, NY — Nota Bene, an Eastern European restaurant at 282 Brighton Beach Avenue, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following a health inspection conducted on February 12, 2026. The restaurant received a score of 26 points and was cited for one critical violation related to food contamination protection.
The closure marks the restaurant's second DOHMH-ordered closure within a span of just one week, following a previous closure on February 10. Inspection data was released publicly by DOHMH on February 16, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the February 12 inspection, DOHMH inspectors identified one critical violation under Code 06C. The restaurant was cited for failing to protect food, supplies, or equipment from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. The violation also noted that condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
Code 06C addresses a fundamental food safety requirement: maintaining barriers between food products and potential contamination sources throughout all stages of handling. When food is left exposed or unprotected, it becomes vulnerable to cross-contamination from environmental factors, other food products, or unsanitary conditions.
No non-critical violations were documented during this inspection. The single critical violation, combined with the point assessment of 26, resulted in the establishment being closed by DOHMH. Violations requiring immediate action were cited and addressed.
Food Safety Context
Food protection from contamination is a cornerstone requirement under both NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code. These regulations mandate that food establishments maintain proper safeguards at every stage of food handling, from receiving and storage through preparation and service.
Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to protect all food items from potential contamination sources. This includes proper covering and storage of food items, maintaining appropriate separation between raw and ready-to-eat foods, and ensuring that condiments are dispensed in a sanitary manner — either through single-service containers or direct vendor dispensing.
The FDA Food Code similarly emphasizes that food must be protected from cross-contamination by separating raw animal foods from ready-to-eat items, storing food in clean and sanitized containers, and protecting food from environmental contaminants. These standards exist to prevent foodborne illness, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates affects approximately 48 million Americans annually.
The requirement for condiments to be in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor is designed to prevent communal contamination, where shared condiment containers can become vectors for bacterial transmission between customers.
Inspection History
Nota Bene's recent inspection history shows a pattern of repeated inspections and closures within a concentrated timeframe in February 2026:
- February 19, 2026: Score 5 (Grade Z), establishment reopened
- February 12, 2026: Score 26 (Grade B range), closed by DOHMH
- February 10, 2026: Score 20 (Grade N), closed by DOHMH
- February 5, 2026: Score 74 (Grade N), closed by DOHMH
The record indicates the restaurant was first closed on February 5 with a score of 74, which falls well within the Grade C range of 28 or more points. A subsequent inspection on February 10 resulted in a score of 20 and another closure. The February 12 inspection — the subject of this report — produced a score of 26 and a third closure action.
Notably, by February 19, 2026, the restaurant was reopened with a score of 5, which falls well within the Grade A range. The Grade Z designation on that inspection typically indicates an initial inspection score that has not yet been assigned a final letter grade.
The significant improvement from a score of 74 on February 5 to a score of 5 on February 19 suggests the restaurant undertook substantial corrective measures to address the violations identified across multiple inspections.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on inspection scores:
- A: 0 to 13 points (lowest number of violation points)
- B: 14 to 27 points (moderate violation points)
- C: 28 or more points (highest number of violation points)
Nota Bene's February 12 score of 26 falls at the upper end of the Grade B range. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Critical violations carry higher point values than general (non-critical) violations due to their greater potential to contribute to foodborne illness.
Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection are entitled to a re-inspection, during which the establishment has the opportunity to demonstrate corrective actions. The restaurant's subsequent February 19 score of 5 indicates that significant improvements were made.
Residents can look up any restaurant's inspection history through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available on the NYC Open Data portal. This public record system provides transparency into the food safety conditions at the city's approximately 27,000 restaurants.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Nota Bene including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.