Brooklyn, NY — Sabor Restaurant & Bakery, a Latin American restaurant at 141 Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following a routine inspection conducted on February 19, 2026. The establishment received a score of 50, well above the 28-point threshold that triggers a Grade C designation, and inspectors identified a critical violation requiring immediate action.
Sabor Restaurant & Bakery restaurant inspection" width="400" height="225" loading="eager" decoding="async" class="article-featured-image">The closure marks the second time in approximately three years that health inspectors have closed the Flushing Avenue location.
What Inspectors Found
During the February 19 inspection, DOHMH inspectors cited Sabor Restaurant & Bakery for one critical violation related to the improper use or storage of sanitized equipment and utensils, including in-use food dispensing utensils. This violation falls under NYC Health Code violation code 06E.
Proper sanitization of food-contact surfaces and utensils is a foundational requirement of food safety operations. When sanitized equipment is improperly stored or handled, it can become recontaminated before coming into contact with food, potentially introducing harmful bacteria to items served to customers.
The inspection resulted in the establishment being closed by DOHMH, with the agency noting that violations were cited and those requiring immediate action were addressed.
It should be noted that while only one critical violation and zero non-critical violations were formally recorded in the available data, the total score of 50 points suggests that additional condition-level point assessments may have contributed to the overall score during the inspection. DOHMH assigns point values based on the nature and severity of each condition observed, and a single violation code can encompass multiple observed instances or related conditions.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the regulatory framework governing food service establishments in New York City. Under these regulations, DOHMH inspectors evaluate restaurants across a range of categories including food handling and temperature control, personal hygiene of food workers, facility maintenance, and vermin control.
The FDA Food Code, which serves as the model for many local food safety regulations, emphasizes that food-contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized between uses and stored in a manner that protects them from contamination. Equipment and utensils that have been properly sanitized must be stored in clean, dry locations and handled in ways that prevent recontamination prior to use.
When inspectors determine that conditions at a food establishment pose an immediate risk to public health, they have the authority to order the establishment closed until the violations are corrected. A restaurant that has been closed must address all cited violations and pass a re-inspection before it is permitted to reopen to the public.
Inspection History
Public records show that Sabor Restaurant & Bakery has had a varied inspection history over the past several years. The establishment's recorded inspections include:
- February 19, 2026: Score of 50, closed by DOHMH — critical sanitization violation cited
- March 10, 2025: Score of 27
- February 25, 2025: Score of 45, Grade C issued
- February 12, 2025: Score of 18
- August 14, 2023: Score of 12, Grade A issued
- August 7, 2023: Score of 2, Grade Pending issued
- August 2, 2023: Score of 22, establishment closed
The record indicates a pattern of fluctuating scores. The restaurant earned a Grade A with a score of 12 in August 2023 but had also been closed earlier that same month with a score of 22. More recently, scores in early 2025 ranged from 18 to 45, with the latter resulting in a Grade C. The current closure with a score of 50 represents the highest recorded score in the restaurant's available inspection history.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points recorded during an inspection:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points — indicates minimal violations
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points — indicates moderate violations
- Grade C: 28 or more points — indicates significant violations
Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection have the option to post a "Grade Pending" sign and request a re-inspection. Establishments that are closed must correct all violations and pass a subsequent inspection before resuming operations.
Inspection data referenced in this article was collected by DOHMH on February 19, 2026, and released publicly on February 20, 2026. Inspection results reflect conditions observed at the time of the inspection and may not represent current conditions at the establishment.
Consumers can look up the latest inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database or by checking the letter grade posted at the entrance of the establishment.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Sabor Restaurant & Bakery including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.