Brooklyn, NY — Serenity Cafe, located at 424 Church Avenue in Brooklyn, received a score of 19 during a New York City health inspection conducted on February 26, 2026. The score places the restaurant in the Grade B range and was driven by a single critical violation: the absence of a Food Protection Certificate held by any manager or supervisor of food operations.

The inspection data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 2, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection identified one critical violation at Serenity Cafe. Inspectors documented that no manager or supervisor on the premises held a valid Food Protection Certificate (FPC), a violation recorded under code 04A.

New York City requires that every food service establishment have at least one supervisory-level employee with a current FPC on duty during all hours of operation. The certificate confirms that the holder has completed an approved food safety course and passed an examination covering proper food handling, temperature control, contamination prevention, and allergen awareness.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

The Food Protection Certificate requirement is established under NYC Health Code Article 81 and aligns with the FDA Food Code's emphasis on having a certified person in charge at food service operations. The regulation exists to ensure that at least one individual with formal food safety training is present to oversee daily operations, make decisions about food handling practices, and respond to potential food safety issues.

The absence of a certified manager does not necessarily mean that food was being handled unsafely at the time of the inspection. However, regulators consider it a critical violation because it removes a key safeguard in the food safety chain. Without a certified supervisor, there is no verified assurance that staff are following proper protocols for temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and hygiene practices.

Inspection History

Serenity Cafe's recent inspection record shows a pattern of significant violations followed by improvement:

  • November 10, 2025: Score 0 — no violations documented
  • November 5, 2025: Score 48 — establishment was closed by DOHMH
  • August 11, 2025: Score 42 — Grade C issued
  • June 18, 2025: Score 73

The restaurant's history reflects a notable trajectory. In mid-2025, the cafe received scores of 73 and 42, both well above the Grade C threshold of 28 points. A score of 48 in early November 2025 resulted in closure. The establishment then achieved a perfect score of 0 just five days later on November 10, 2025, indicating that all previously cited conditions had been corrected.

The current score of 19, while a significant improvement over the cafe's mid-2025 results, represents a step back from the clean inspection achieved in November.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on violation point totals:

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

Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Serenity Cafe's score of 19 falls in the Grade B range. Restaurants that receive a B or C grade on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection to attempt a better score.

Consumers can look up any restaurant's full inspection history through the DOHMH website or the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection reports, scores, and violation details are public record and are updated regularly as new inspection data becomes available.

More About This Restaurant

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