New York, NY — Thirty-eight restaurants across all five boroughs earned Grade A health inspection scores on March 17, 2026, according to data from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The group posted an average score of 9.2 points, well within the 0–13 point range required for the city's highest letter grade. The inspected establishments span more than a dozen cuisine types, from national chains to neighborhood favorites.
The Inspections
Among the day's top performers, Taco Bell on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn and Starbucks Corporation on Park Avenue in Manhattan each received a score of 3, the lowest recorded for the day. Both were cited for non-food contact surfaces not kept clean or properly sealed — a common maintenance-related violation that does not involve direct food handling.
Close behind, Dunkin on 2nd Avenue in Manhattan scored 4 for a plumbing-related violation involving anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention devices. Joe Coffee on 5th Avenue in Manhattan also scored 4, cited for garbage receptacles lacking tight-fitting lids.
On Staten Island, Delafield Pizza on Bradley Avenue earned a 6 after inspectors noted inadequate personal cleanliness, including a lack of effective hair restraints. Sababa Lounge on McDonald Avenue in Brooklyn also scored 6 for non-food contact surface cleanliness.
Several restaurants scored 7. Recovery Room on Booth Memorial Avenue in Queens and Canteen on Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn were both cited for equipment cleanliness. The Boil on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn was noted for holding hot time and temperature control for safety (TCS) food below the required 140°F. Subway on Broadway in upper Manhattan received a plumbing-related citation. Dunkin on Queens Boulevard in Woodside was cited for food contact surfaces not properly sanitized, while Sushi 88 on 1st Avenue in Manhattan was flagged for improper thawing procedures.
Brooklyn's Farrell's Bar & Grill on Prospect Park West, a longstanding neighborhood institution, scored 8 for equipment cleanliness.
At the 9-point level, Mcdonald's on Fulton Street in Brooklyn and Papa John's Pizza on Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn were cited for non-food contact surface violations. Dunkin on Broadway on the Upper West Side received a score of 9 after inspectors documented evidence of rats in the establishment — a violation that, while noted, did not prevent the restaurant from earning a passing grade. Tha Kitchen on Rutland Road in Brooklyn, serving Caribbean cuisine, also scored 9.
Among establishments scoring 10, Beyti Kebab on Brighton Beach Avenue in Brooklyn was cited for handwashing violations. Villa Erasamo on Juniper Boulevard South in Queens lacked a Food Protection Certificate held by a manager. The Nuaa Table on Bergen Street in Brooklyn, a Thai restaurant, was cited for food not properly protected from contamination during storage. Le Pain Quotidien on Lexington Avenue, Starbucks on William Street, and Hawa on Willoughby Street in downtown Brooklyn rounded out this group.
Scoring 11, Shake Shack at Grand Central Terminal was cited for equipment cleanliness. Taqueria Lupita on East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx was noted for inadequate ventilation. Rico Pan Bakery on Woodside Avenue in Queens, Starbucks Coffee #53473 on Broadway in lower Manhattan, Ademi Coffee And Tea on Broome Street in SoHo, and China Delight on 37th Avenue in Queens — the latter cited for improper pesticide use — all scored 11.
At 12 points, Colonnade Diner on Hylan Boulevard in Staten Island was cited for holding cold TCS food above the required 41°F. Jophsua 19 on Jamaica Avenue in Queens lacked a hand washing facility within the required 25-foot distance. Puglia on Hester Street in Little Italy and Marinara on 1st Avenue in Midtown were both cited for wiping cloths not stored in sanitizing solution. Red Lobster on Bartow Avenue in the Bronx and Bonsaii Cafe on East 55th Street in Manhattan were cited for food contact surface sanitation. Dive Bar Lic on 36th Avenue in Long Island City was noted for not properly reheating cooked TCS food to 165°F before service.
At the threshold of 13 points, Starstruck Coffee on 9th Avenue in Manhattan was cited for cold food temperature violations, and Taste Of Urumqi on Northern Boulevard in Flushing, Queens, received a plumbing-related citation.
Common Patterns
The most frequently cited violation across the day's inspections involved non-food contact surfaces — equipment housings, shelving, and other surfaces not directly touching food — that were not kept clean or properly sealed. This category appeared in more than a third of all inspections. Plumbing and drainage issues, particularly the absence of anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention devices, appeared in several establishments.
Brooklyn led all boroughs with 13 inspected restaurants, followed by Manhattan with 13, Queens with 7, the Bronx with 2, and Staten Island with 2. Coffee and tea shops represented the largest single cuisine category with 7 establishments, reflecting the high volume of beverage-focused businesses operating across the city. Pizza, American, and Mexican restaurants were also well represented.
What This Means for Diners
A Grade A score indicates that a restaurant scored between 0 and 13 points during its inspection, with lower scores reflecting fewer or less serious violations. Every restaurant on this list met that standard. However, a Grade A does not mean zero violations were found — it means the violations documented were minor enough to keep the total score within the acceptable range under NYC Health Code Article 81.
Diners can look up any restaurant's inspection history, including specific violations and scores, through the NYC Department of Health's online restaurant inspection portal or by checking the letter grade posted at the establishment's entrance, as required by law.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, assigns points based on violations observed during unannounced inspections. Each violation carries a point value reflecting its potential risk to public health. A score of 0–13 points earns a Grade A, 14–27 points earns a Grade B, and 28 or more points results in a Grade C. Restaurants that score above 13 on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection before a grade is posted. Critical violations, such as improper food temperatures or evidence of pests, carry higher point values than general violations like equipment cleanliness. The system is based on standards outlined in the FDA Food Code and NYC Health Code Article 81.