Manhattan, NY — A routine health inspection at Rosa's Pizza, located at 1289 Madison Avenue on Manhattan's Upper East Side, resulted in a Grade C score of 36 points on March 26, 2026, according to data released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on March 30, 2026. The inspection identified one critical violation related to food safety certification requirements.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors cited the restaurant under Code 04A, documenting that no manager or supervisor holding a valid Food Protection Certificate was present during the inspection. This is classified as a critical violation under NYC Health Code Article 81.

The Food Protection Certificate is a credential issued by the DOHMH following completion of an approved food safety course and passage of an examination. NYC Health Code Article 81.08 requires that at least one certified food protection manager be on the premises and in charge of food operations at all times the establishment is operating. The certificate holder is responsible for overseeing safe food handling, storage, temperature control, and staff hygiene practices.

A single critical violation of this nature contributed significantly to the restaurant's total score of 36 points, placing it firmly in Grade C territory.

Food Safety Context

Under the NYC letter grading system, inspection scores translate directly into public-facing grades posted at restaurant entrances. The DOHMH scoring system is based on the FDA Food Code and NYC Health Code Article 81, which together establish standards for food handling, facility sanitation, pest control, and management oversight.

Critical violations are those that pose a direct risk to public health if left uncorrected. The absence of a certified food protection manager is considered critical because such personnel are responsible for ensuring that all other food safety practices are followed correctly throughout daily operations.

Restaurants cited for critical violations are generally given the opportunity to correct the issue before a re-inspection. The final letter grade posted in the window reflects either the initial inspection score or the score from a follow-up inspection, depending on the timeline.

Inspection History

Rosa's Pizza's recent inspection record shows a notable shift in scoring:

  • March 26, 2026: Score 36 (Grade C) — one critical violation cited
  • December 4, 2024: Score 12 (Grade A) — no significant violations documented
  • July 11, 2024: Score 44 — no grade letter recorded for this cycle

The December 2024 inspection resulted in a Grade A, indicating the restaurant was operating in compliance with health code requirements at that time. The July 2024 score of 44 — higher than the current inspection — did not carry a posted grade designation, which can occur during initial inspection cycles where a re-inspection is scheduled before a grade is finalized.

The current Grade C represents a return to elevated scoring after the restaurant achieved its best recent result just over a year ago.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a letter grading system to communicate inspection results to the public. Grades are based on the total number of points assessed during an inspection:

  • A: 0 to 13 points (lowest violation score, best result)
  • B: 14 to 27 points
  • C: 28 or more points (highest violation score, posted in window)

Grades must be prominently displayed in the restaurant's window or entrance. A Grade C indicates the establishment received a score of 28 or more points during its most recent scoreable inspection. Restaurants that receive a B or C on an initial inspection are typically re-inspected within approximately a month, and may post the grade from that follow-up inspection if it is more favorable.

Members of the public can look up the full inspection history for any NYC restaurant — including violation details, scores, and dates — through the DOHMH's online restaurant inspection database at nyc.gov/health.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Rosa's Pizza including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.