Brooklyn, NY — A health inspection conducted at Papa John's Pizza at 189 Avenue U in Brooklyn on March 30, 2026 resulted in a score of 26, placing the restaurant at the upper edge of the Grade B range and one point below the Grade C threshold. The inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on April 2, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors identified one critical violation during the March visit. The cited violation, Code 04J, documents that a properly scaled and calibrated thermometer or thermocouple was not provided or not readily accessible in food preparation and hot and cold holding areas.

Accurate temperature measurement equipment is required under New York City and federal food safety standards to monitor temperature-sensitive foods — commonly referred to as TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Safety) foods — during cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding. The absence of accessible thermometry equipment limits a food handler's ability to verify that foods are held at safe temperatures throughout the preparation process.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, food establishments are required to maintain accessible, calibrated temperature-measuring devices in areas where TCS foods are prepared and held. These foods include meat, poultry, dairy, cooked vegetables, and other items that can support bacterial growth when held outside of safe temperature ranges.

A critical violation is defined by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as one that poses a direct risk to public health if not corrected. Critical violations carry a higher point value than non-critical violations and weigh more heavily on the overall inspection score.

A score of 26 falls within the Grade B band but represents the highest end of that range. Under the DOHMH grading system, a score of 28 or above at a subsequent inspection would result in a Grade C posting.

Inspection History

Papa John's Pizza at this location has a varied inspection record over recent years:

  • May 5, 2026: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • 2024-12-26: Score 9 (Grade A)
  • 2024-07-31: Score 31
  • 2022-12-19: Score 6 (Grade A)
  • 2022-09-29: Score 0 (Grade P)
  • September 26, 2022: Score 0 (Closed)

The location's most recent subsequent inspection, recorded on May 5, 2026, produced a score of 12 — a significant improvement from the March result and sufficient for a Grade A posting. Under DOHMH procedure, when an initial inspection results in a score outside the Grade A range, an unannounced follow-up inspection is scheduled. The May score represents that cycle's posted grade.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by the DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on inspection scores:

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

Grades are required to be posted in a location visible to the public near the restaurant entrance.

Inspection records for all New York City food service establishments are publicly available through the DOHMH's NYC Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Papa John's Pizza including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.