New York, NY — A total of 152 restaurants across all five boroughs passed their New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspections on March 9, 2026, earning Grade A scores. The inspected establishments averaged a score of 9.5 points, well within the 0-to-13-point range required for the city's top grade. The results reflect a cross-section of the city's dining landscape, from national chains to independent neighborhood restaurants serving cuisines spanning more than 30 categories.
The Inspections
Several restaurants achieved perfect scores of 0 points, meaning inspectors documented no violations during their visit. Starbucks on Church Street in Lower Manhattan, Cote Wine Bar on Mosholu Avenue in the Bronx, Liv Ktv & Party on Main Street in Queens, and Auntie Anne's on Greenwich Street in Manhattan all received clean inspections with no documented issues.
Among restaurants scoring 2 points, minor violations were the norm. Dunkin on Madison Avenue in Manhattan was cited for improper maintenance of a food contact surface. Asian Kabab & Curry on Crescent Street in Brooklyn and Juice Generation on Astor Place in Manhattan each received notes about non-food contact surfaces not being properly maintained. Hironi on Madison Avenue was cited for not having an accurate thermometer properly located in refrigerated equipment, scoring just 2 points.
In the mid-range of Grade A scores, restaurants faced a wider variety of documented issues. Konban Nyc on West 17th Street in Manhattan and A Zhong Taiwanese Snack on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens were each cited for hot time-and-temperature-controlled-for-safety (TCS) food items not held at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, both scoring 7 and 8 points respectively. The Edge on Edgecombe Avenue in Manhattan scored 9 points after inspectors found evidence of mice in the establishment. Tolo on Canal Street in Manhattan scored 10 points for conditions conducive to pests.
At the upper boundary of Grade A, several well-known establishments still earned passing marks. Brasserie Cognac East on Lexington Avenue scored 13 points for food contact surfaces not properly sanitized. The Peninsula New York on Fifth Avenue scored 13 points for cold TCS food held above the required 41 degrees. Yonah Shimmel's Knish Bakery on East Houston Street, a Lower East Side institution, also scored 13 points for single-service article issues. Chipotle Mexican Grill on Havemeyer Street in Brooklyn scored 13 points for food storage protection concerns.
Across the boroughs, Staten Island was represented by Starbucks Corporation on Amboy Road with a score of 5, Supreme Burger on Forest Avenue with 7 points for a food service area issue, King's Arms Restaurant on Forest Avenue with 10 points, and Canlon's Restaurant on North Railroad Avenue scoring 13 points.
Common Patterns
The most frequently documented violation category across the 152 inspections involved non-food contact surfaces — equipment not kept clean or not properly sealed, raised, or spaced from floors and walls. This type of citation appeared in dozens of the day's inspections, from Chip City in Manhattan to Wendys in Queens to Domino's in Brooklyn.
Anti-siphonage and back-flow prevention issues were the second most common finding, noted at locations including La Napa in Brooklyn, Ihop in Queens, and Wendy's in Manhattan. Temperature control violations — both hot and cold holding — also appeared regularly. Common Good Harlem on Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Ny Fresh Pizza on Lafayette Street, and Taco Callejero in Brooklyn were each cited for hot food items not maintained at proper temperatures.
Queens led the boroughs in total inspections on this date, with restaurants ranging from Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill to Manor Oktoberfest Forest Hills to La Cabana Argentinian Steakhouse. The cuisine diversity was notable: Chinese restaurants like Red House Kitchen, Springfield Little Dumpling, and China Delight appeared alongside Caribbean spots like Caribean Soul and T & G Flavors, plus Thai at Baht, Greek at Plaka Estiatorio, and Irish at Daly's Pub.
Coffee and tea establishments made up a significant portion of inspections, with Blank Street Coffee, Cafe Chrystie, Ost Cafe, Moka & Co, Teapsy, and Velvet Honey Coffee all earning Grade A scores.
What This Means for Diners
A Grade A score indicates that a restaurant had no more than 13 violation points at the time of inspection. It does not mean the establishment was entirely free of violations — as the data shows, most restaurants in this group had at least minor issues documented. What it does indicate is that the violations found were not considered critical enough to warrant a lower grade under the NYC Health Department's scoring system.
Diners can look up any restaurant's inspection history on the NYC Department of Health website or through the ABCEats app. Each restaurant is required to post its current grade in a location visible to the public near the entrance. Inspection results, including specific violations and scores, are public record and updated regularly.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, established under NYC Health Code Article 81, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points recorded during an inspection. A score of 0 to 13 points earns a Grade A. Scores of 14 to 27 points result in a Grade B, and scores of 28 points or higher receive a Grade C. Restaurants that receive a B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection and can post a "Grade Pending" sign in the interim.
Violation points are assigned based on the severity and nature of each finding, following guidelines aligned with the FDA Food Code. Critical violations related to food temperature, contamination, and pest activity carry higher point values than general violations related to facility maintenance or signage. A restaurant can receive multiple violations and still earn a Grade A if none of the individual findings carry substantial point values.
For the 152 restaurants inspected on March 9, the results demonstrate that Grade A status is achievable across a wide range of establishment types — from the Metropolitan Club on East 60th Street to Halal Quickbites in Queens to Dallas Bbq in Washington Heights. Full inspection details for each restaurant are available on their individual facility pages at NYCRestaurantInspections.com and through the city's open data portal.