Brooklyn, NY — Sai's Cafe, a bakery and dessert shop at 6003 Fort Hamilton Parkway in Brooklyn, received a Grade B following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 19, 2026. The establishment scored 25 points — placing it near the upper boundary of the B range and three points from the Grade C threshold.

The inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 23, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March inspection:

  • Code 02B: Hot time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food item not held at or above 140°F.

Temperature control violations are classified as critical because improperly held hot food can allow bacterial growth that poses a direct risk to consumers. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain hot TCS foods — including baked goods with perishable fillings, custards, or other temperature-sensitive ingredients — at or above 140°F at all times during holding and service.

The FDA Food Code, which informs New York City's food safety standards, identifies inadequate temperature control as one of the leading contributing factors to foodborne illness outbreaks.

Food Safety Context

A score of 25 carries particular significance within the Grade B band. While the establishment avoids a Grade C designation, the score reflects a meaningful accumulation of violation points. Each critical violation carries a higher point weight than non-critical violations, and a single unresolved critical item can substantially affect a facility's final score.

NYC Health Code Article 81 requires food service operators to correct critical violations immediately upon identification during an inspection. Establishments that score in the upper portion of the B range may be subject to reinspection within a shorter timeframe.

Inspection History

Sai's Cafe has shown variability in its inspection record over the past several years:

  • 2025-11-10: Score 24 (Grade B)
  • 2025-08-15: Score 60 (Grade C)
  • 2024-12-02: Score 20 (Grade B)
  • 2023-11-28: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • 2023-02-28: Score 30 (Grade C)
  • 2022-11-15: Score 34 (Grade C)

The pattern shows the establishment has cycled between Grade A, B, and C ratings. The Grade C recorded in August 2025 — just seven months prior to the current inspection — indicates the location has had recurring difficulty maintaining consistent compliance. The November 2025 score of 24 and the current score of 25 suggest the establishment has stabilized within the B range, though not at the lower end.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades based on inspection scores according to the following scale:

  • Grade A: 0–13 points (lowest violation severity)
  • Grade B: 14–27 points
  • Grade C: 28 or more points

Grades are required to be posted in a visible location at the entrance of every food service establishment in New York City. Consumers can look up detailed inspection records, including individual violation codes and scores, through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov.

More About This Restaurant

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