Bronx, NY — Ruta 55 Restaurant, a Spanish eatery located at 1318 Lafayette Avenue in the Hunts Point area, received a Grade B with a score of 24 following a health inspection conducted on March 3, 2026. The score places the restaurant near the top of the Grade B range, just four points below the Grade C threshold of 28.

The inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 5, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors identified one critical violation during the inspection:

  • Hot TCS food not held at or above 140 °F (Violation Code 02B): Time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods — items such as cooked meats, rice, beans, and prepared sauces — were found being held at temperatures below the required 140 °F minimum. When hot foods fall below this threshold, they enter the "danger zone" between 41 °F and 140 °F, where harmful bacteria can multiply rapidly.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection cycle. The restaurant's score of 24 resulted entirely from the weight assigned to this single critical violation under the DOHMH scoring system, which assigns higher point values to violations that pose a greater risk to public health.

Food Safety Context

The requirement to hold hot TCS foods at or above 140 °F is established under NYC Health Code Article 81 and aligns with the FDA Food Code. These regulations are designed to prevent the growth of pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Clostridium perfringens, which can proliferate when cooked foods are held at improper temperatures.

Temperature control violations are among the most commonly cited findings in New York City restaurant inspections. The DOHMH considers them critical because inadequate holding temperatures are a leading contributing factor in foodborne illness outbreaks.

A score of 24 is notable because it sits at the upper end of the Grade B range. While the restaurant avoids a Grade C designation, the score represents a significant increase from its most recent prior inspection.

Inspection History

Ruta 55 Restaurant's inspection record shows fluctuating scores over the past several years:

  • Aug. 16, 2024: Score 10 (Grade A)
  • Dec. 1, 2023: Score 27
  • March 11, 2022: Score 23 (Grade B)
  • Dec. 27, 2021: Score 40

The restaurant had achieved its best recorded score of 10 in August 2024, earning a Grade A. The current score of 24 represents a 14-point increase from that inspection and returns the restaurant to Grade B territory, where it has scored on multiple prior occasions.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on inspection scores, with lower scores indicating fewer violations:

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

Restaurants that receive a B or C grade on an initial inspection are entitled to a re-inspection, at which point the better score determines the posted grade. Restaurants are required to display their current grade card in a location visible to the public.

Consumers can look up any restaurant's full inspection history, including specific violations, through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database available on the NYC Open Data portal or by searching the city's official restaurant grading website. All inspection data referenced in this article is sourced from publicly available DOHMH records.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Ruta 55 Restaurant including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.