New York, NY — Forty-five restaurants across all five boroughs received Grade A scores during New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspections conducted on March 25, 2026. The establishments posted an average score of 9.3 points, well within the 0–13 point range required for the city's top health grade. The group spans more than a dozen cuisine types and neighborhoods from the South Bronx to Staten Island's North Shore.

The Inspections

Two Manhattan Italian spots led the day with near-perfect scores. Uva, on the Upper East Side, and Sogno Toscano, in Chelsea, each earned a score of 2 — the second-lowest possible result short of a perfect zero. Both were cited only for non-food contact surfaces not kept clean or properly sealed, a minor equipment-maintenance issue under NYC Health Code Article 81.

Brooklyn's Rancho Avacado on Nostrand Avenue matched that 2 in the Spanish cuisine category, earning one of the day's top marks among outer-borough establishments.

In the quick-service tier, A & S Pizzeria on Staten Island, Dunkin'/Baskin Robbins on Madison Street in Manhattan, and Starbucks Coffee in Midtown all scored 3, each flagged only for the same non-food contact surface issue.

Further downtown, La Mercerie on Howard Street and Maison Close on Watts Street brought French cuisine into the Grade A column. La Mercerie scored 4, while Maison Close posted a 5 with a single citation for deficient dishwashing and ware-washing procedures — a sanitation process violation under the FDA Food Code's requirements for tableware cleaning.

The popular Florentine sandwich import All'antico Vinaio on Sullivan Street scored 7, with inspectors noting food and supplies not fully protected from potential contamination during storage. Nearby on Avenue B, Lucky also scored 9, with a citation for food adulteration or cross-contamination not addressed in accordance with HACCP plan requirements.

Among the day's more notable findings, Ba'al Cafe & Falafel on Sullivan Street in SoHo scored 9 but had evidence of mice recorded in food or non-food areas — a violation that carries significant weight under Article 81, though the establishment's total point value still qualified for Grade A. Similarly, Para Ti Colombia Con Sabor in Jamaica, Queens scored 13 with multiple violations including evidence of live mice and conditions conducive to rodent harborage, reaching the absolute upper limit of the Grade A threshold.

Cold temperature holding violations — one of the more commonly cited categories — appeared at several spots. Platform/Good To Go in the Meatpacking District scored 7 with a cold TCS (temperature-controlled for safety) food item held above 41°F. Cherokee Deli in Brooklyn scored 8 with the same violation. 5 Burro Cafe in Forest Hills scored 12, Lakou Cafe in Crown Heights scored 12, and Wendy's in Queens scored 12 — all with cold-holding citations that remained within Grade A range.

Heat-holding violations appeared at Oren's Daily Roast on Broadway's Upper West Side (12 points, hot TCS food not held at or above 140°F), Las Quesadillas Del Tio in Jackson Heights (12), and Sing Fei Chinese Restaurant on Gun Hill Road in the Bronx (13).

Several national chains made the Grade A list. Burger King/Popeyes in Fresh Meadows scored 11 with filth flies noted. Panda Express in Astoria scored 13 with citations for food contact surface maintenance and a missing choking first aid poster. Sweetgreen on the Upper West Side scored 10 with only a non-food contact surface issue recorded.

Other passing establishments included Ecuatoriana Restaurant in Washington Heights (4), Bam Cinema Concession Stand at BAM in Fort Greene (9), 16 Handles in Tribeca (9), Cafe 37 in Midtown (10), Panajachel Solola on Staten Island (10), Dunkin' in Jamaica, Queens (10), China House in the South Bronx (11), Wonder Pho on the Upper East Side (11 — grade pending), Mr. Nancy's in Ridgewood (11), Dunkin'/Baskin Robbins in Hollis (12), Seed Brooklyn in Bedford-Stuyvesant (12), Dunkin' on Broadway in Midtown (12), Mirador Restaurant in the Bronx (12), Fay Da Bakery in Flushing (12), High & Dry in Williamsburg (12), The Naked Pig on the Upper East Side (12), Hudson Hound in the West Village (13), District Saigon in Astoria (13), Cafe Bilboquet on the Upper East Side (13), Bunch O Bagels in Crown Heights (13), and Central Pizza in Far Rockaway (10).

Common Patterns

The most frequently cited violation across the March 25 inspections was non-food contact surface maintenance — surfaces not kept clean, not properly sealed, or constructed of unacceptable materials. This category appeared in roughly half of all inspections. Cold-holding temperature violations were the second most common finding, appearing at six establishments. Equipment sanitation and food protection issues rounded out the top concerns.

Geographically, Manhattan accounted for the largest share of inspected establishments, with Queens close behind. Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island each contributed a smaller number. Cuisine diversity was broad: Italian, French, Spanish, Latin American, Chinese, Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Jewish/Kosher, pizza, sandwiches, coffee, frozen desserts, and bakery items all appeared on the list.

What This Means for Diners

A Grade A score does not mean an establishment was violation-free. Under the NYC grading system, a restaurant can receive up to 13 points in violations and still earn the top grade. Points are assigned based on the type and severity of each violation found. Critical violations — those with direct food safety implications, such as temperature abuse or evidence of pests — carry more points than general violations related to equipment maintenance.

Diners can look up any NYC restaurant's full inspection history, including individual violations and scores, through the NYC Health Department's restaurant inspection search tool. Grades must be posted in a visible location at each establishment.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a points-based grading system administered under Health Code Article 81:

  • Grade A: 0–13 points (fewest violations or least severe)
  • Grade B: 14–27 points
  • Grade C: 28 or more points

Inspections are unannounced and conducted by Health Department sanitarians. Restaurants that score above 13 on an initial inspection are re-inspected before a grade is assigned. A "Grade Pending" card may be posted while a restaurant awaits re-inspection or adjudication — as was the case with Wonder Pho on March 25.

The full inspection database is publicly available at the NYC Open Data portal, and individual restaurant pages on NYCRestaurantInspections.com include complete violation histories and score trends over time.