New York, NY — Fifty-one restaurants across all five boroughs received Grade A health inspection scores on March 31, 2026, according to records from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The restaurants averaged 9.1 points, well below the 13-point ceiling for a Grade A designation, reflecting a broad cross-section of neighborhood dining establishments that met the city's top food safety standards on inspection day.
The Inspections
The day's lowest scores — and strongest performances — came from a handful of establishments that inspectors found nearly flawless. Dagger Johns At McGinley Fordham University on East Fordham Road in the Bronx and Taco Bell on Varick Street in Manhattan each scored 2 points, with inspectors noting only that non-food contact surfaces needed better upkeep. McDonald's at Union Square West matched that score with the same minor finding.
Several establishments posted scores of 4 and 5 while maintaining their Grade A standing. Paris Baguette on Avenue of the Americas scored 4, and Blank Street Coffee on 7th Avenue in Chelsea scored 5, both cited for non-food contact surface conditions. In Queens, Adam's Chicken & Pocha on Northern Boulevard scored 5 with a noted lapse in food contact surface sanitation procedures, while The Sconery in Sunnyside scored 5 after inspectors found a thermometer improperly located in cold storage equipment. Randy's Donuts on Bleecker Street in Manhattan also scored 5, with a citation for inadequate protection of food supplies during storage.
Moving into the mid-range of the Grade A band, Cafe La Morena & Deli in Brooklyn's Sunset Park and Tung Sum Bakery on 9th Avenue each scored 7, as did Wendy's on East 149th Street in the Bronx and Pizza Hut on Queens Boulevard. Hawa Smoothie in Midtown Manhattan and Chick-Fil-A 918 8th Avenue each scored 7 as well, with inspectors documenting non-food contact surface conditions at both locations. Cafe La Morena received a citation involving filth flies in food or non-food areas, a finding that contributed to its score while remaining within Grade A range.
At score 8, Dunkin on Jerome Avenue in the Bronx and Maxin Bakery in Flushing were each cited for personal cleanliness violations, including inadequate hair restraints. Tsob-Tsobe! in Brooklyn's Brighton Beach scored 8 with a plumbing-related citation, while Sushi & Co in Lower Manhattan and Dbl Pie Pizza on Amsterdam Avenue scored 8 each. Dbl Pie Pizza received a cold temperature holding citation, with inspectors finding a TCS food item held above 41°F. Mamie's Yogurt in Flushing also scored 8.
Scoring 9 points were McDonald's on White Plains Road in the Bronx, La Gioconda on East 53rd Street in Manhattan, Capri IV Deli in the Bronx, Vivi Bubble Tea on New Dorp Lane in Staten Island, Crispiano on St. Marks Place, and Floribella in Sunnyside, Queens. Floribella was cited for a hot food holding temperature violation, and Crispiano received a citation for toilet facility maintenance.
Among restaurants scoring 10, Mexican Restaurant on Lexington Avenue in East Harlem received citations for both a missing thermometer and improper pesticide use or storage. The Harp in Bay Ridge, Sweet Chick in Prospect Heights, and Al-Andalus on East 5th Street in Manhattan each scored 10, as did Dunkin Donuts Baskin Robbins in Riverdale, Jungle Bowls in Bay Ridge, and Wingstop in Corona, Queens.
At 11 points, Charlotte Patisserie in Greenpoint was cited for improperly stored wiping cloths, Dyckman Dogs in Inwood received a plumbing citation, and Carvel in Staten Island was noted for both non-food contact surface conditions and improperly segregated damaged canned goods.
Several restaurants scored 12 points while holding their Grade A. Homemade Taqueria in Long Island City and Chipotle Mexican Grill in Forest Hills each scored 12. Oramen on Avenue of the Americas and Sushi Dairo on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan both scored 12 with hot food temperature holding citations. Yamashiro on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn and Sofreh Cafe on Flatbush Avenue scored 12 as well. Fine Time in Bushwick scored 12 with a toilet facility maintenance citation, Al-Sham Sweets & Pastries in Astoria scored 12 with a personal cleanliness citation, and Master Wok in the Bronx scored 12 with a dishwashing deficiency citation.
At the top of the Grade A ceiling — 13 points — four restaurants still qualified for the top grade. La Casa Bella in Bensonhurst, Le Pain Quotidien on West 65th Street in Manhattan, Hip Hop Burger NYC in South Jamaica, Panino Rustico of Howard Beach, Tea Spot on Fulton Street in Bed-Stuy, and Nami Sushi on Northern Boulevard in Queens each scored 13. Le Pain Quotidien received a citation for evidence of mice in the establishment, while Tea Spot was cited for lacking a pest management contract. Both findings were documented and scored within the Grade A threshold.
Common Patterns
The most frequently cited violation category on March 31 was non-food contact surface conditions, appearing across roughly a third of the inspected establishments. This violation typically covers equipment surfaces, shelving, and structural elements that do not directly contact food but must still be maintained in sanitary condition under NYC Health Code Article 81.
Temperature control citations were the second most common finding, appearing at restaurants including Dbl Pie Pizza, Yamashiro, Panino Rustico of Howard Beach, Oramen, Sushi Dairo, and Floribella. The FDA Food Code requires that cold TCS (time/temperature control for safety) foods be held at or below 41°F and hot TCS foods at or above 140°F.
Bakeries and dessert shops were well represented, with Paris Baguette, The Sconery, Tung Sum Bakery, Maxin Bakery, Charlotte Patisserie, and Carvel all earning Grade A scores. Japanese cuisine establishments — Sushi & Co, Oramen, Yamashiro, Sushi Dairo, and Nami Sushi — also appeared frequently, reflecting the density of that cuisine type across the city.
Queens led all boroughs in restaurant count on this date, with 14 establishments earning Grade A scores, followed by Manhattan with 15, Brooklyn with 13, the Bronx with 7, and Staten Island with 2.
What This Means for Diners
A Grade A score does not mean an establishment had zero violations. Under the NYC grading system, restaurants can receive up to 13 points in demerits and still display the green Grade A card. The grade reflects the total penalty point value of all cited violations on the inspection date, not the number of violations.
Diners can look up any restaurant's inspection history, including specific violation descriptions and scores from each inspection, through the NYC Department of Health's online restaurant inspection database. Each facility page on NYCRestaurantInspections.com also provides a full record.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants following each scored inspection:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
If a restaurant scores in the B or C range on its initial inspection, it receives an opportunity for a re-inspection before the grade is finalized. Restaurants may also request a hearing before the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. A posted Grade Pending card indicates an establishment is in the re-inspection or adjudication process.
Inspections are unannounced and conducted by Environmental Health Inspectors employed by the NYC DOHMH. Inspectors evaluate food handling and storage, sanitation, facility maintenance, pest control, and worker hygiene practices, among other criteria defined under Article 81 of the New York City Health Code.
For complete inspection records, visit the NYC DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database.