Manhattan, NY — Roasting Plant Coffee, located at 81 Orchard Street in the Lower East Side, received a score of 25 following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on April 2, 2026. The score falls within the Grade B range but sits just two points below the threshold at which a restaurant would receive a Grade C designation. The inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 6, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the April inspection, citing Code 04A: the absence of a valid Food Protection Certificate held by a manager or supervisor of food operations.

Under New York City Health Code Article 81, at least one manager or supervisor on-site during food service operations is required to hold a Food Protection Certificate issued by the DOHMH. This credential demonstrates that personnel responsible for overseeing food handling have completed training in safe food storage, preparation, and service practices.

No non-critical violations were recorded during the inspection. The single critical violation accounted for the full point total of 25.

Food Safety Context

The Food Protection Certificate requirement is designed to ensure that individuals in supervisory roles can identify and correct food safety hazards before they pose a risk to customers. The FDA Food Code, which informs New York City's local regulations, emphasizes that certified food protection managers play a central role in maintaining safe food environments.

A score of 25 places Roasting Plant Coffee near the upper boundary of the Grade B range. Under the NYC grading system, any score of 28 or higher at the time of a full inspection would result in a Grade C. The proximity of this score to that threshold is notable given that the single cited violation — the absence of certified supervisory personnel — is administrative in nature but carries significant weight in the city's scoring methodology.

Inspection History

The April 2026 inspection is not the establishment's first time receiving a score in the Grade B range. Prior DOHMH records show the following:

  • Feb 13, 2026: Score 17 (Grade B)
  • Feb 10, 2026: Score 17 (Grade B)
  • Feb 3, 2025: Score 10 (Grade A)
  • Nov 26, 2024: Score 21 (Grade B)
  • Sep 20, 2023: Score 18 (Grade B)
  • Dec 16, 2022: Score 12 (Grade A)

The restaurant has received Grade A scores twice in recent history — in December 2022 and February 2025 — but the majority of its recent inspections have fallen within the Grade B range. The current score of 25 represents the highest recorded score in the available inspection history.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system is based on points assigned to violations identified during unannounced DOHMH inspections. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations:

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

Restaurants that do not receive an A grade on their initial inspection are re-inspected. The grade posted publicly reflects the score from the most recent completed inspection cycle.

Current NYC restaurant inspection records are available through the DOHMH online database at nyc.gov/health. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or borough to review full violation histories and current grades.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Roasting Plant Coffee including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.