Manhattan, NY — Sipsteria, an Eastern European restaurant located at 774 Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on January 8, 2026. The establishment received a score of 48 points, well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C rating, and was ordered to cease operations after inspectors documented critical food safety violations.
The closure was one of several enforcement actions taken by DOHMH during routine restaurant inspections in Manhattan. According to inspection data released on January 16, 2026, the restaurant was cited for one critical violation and one non-critical violation.
What Inspectors Found
The most serious violation documented during the inspection involved damaged canned food products. Inspectors cited Sipsteria under violation code 09A for maintaining swollen, leaking, rusted, or otherwise damaged canned food that had not been segregated from intact products and was not clearly labeled "DO NOT USE." Under NYC health regulations, compromised canned goods must be immediately separated from usable inventory and marked for return to the distributor to prevent any possibility of the damaged products being served to customers.
Damaged canned food represents a significant food safety concern. Swollen or leaking cans may indicate the presence of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for botulism, a potentially life-threatening form of food poisoning. Rusted or dented cans can compromise the hermetic seal that prevents bacterial contamination of the contents inside.
Inspectors also cited a non-critical violation under code 08A, noting that the establishment was not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects, or other pests. This violation indicates that structural or sanitary conditions within the restaurant could attract or sustain pest activity, even if active pest presence was not necessarily observed at the time of inspection.
The combination of these violations resulted in the score of 48 points and prompted DOHMH to order an immediate closure. According to the inspection record, violations requiring immediate action were addressed by the establishment.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the regulatory framework for food service establishments operating within the five boroughs. Under these regulations, DOHMH conducts unannounced inspections of all permitted restaurants and has the authority to close any establishment that presents an imminent threat to public health.
The FDA Food Code, which serves as the basis for many of New York City's food safety regulations, includes specific guidance on the handling of damaged commercial food containers. The code requires that food in containers with compromised integrity be segregated, clearly marked, and either returned to the supplier or disposed of properly. Failure to do so creates a risk that compromised products could inadvertently enter food preparation.
Pest harborage conditions, while cited as a non-critical violation in this case, can contribute to broader food safety concerns when combined with other issues. The FDA Food Code requires food establishments to maintain facilities in a condition that prevents the entry and nesting of pests, including sealing gaps in walls, floors, and around utility lines.
When DOHMH orders a closure, the establishment must correct all cited violations and pass a reinspection before being permitted to reopen. This process ensures that the specific conditions that prompted the closure have been fully remediated.
Inspection History
Sipsteria's available inspection record from DOHMH shows the following:
- January 8, 2026: Score 48 (Grade C), closed by DOHMH
- January 12, 2026: Score 2 (Grade Z), reopened
The subsequent inspection on January 12, 2026, just four days after the closure, resulted in a score of 2 points, indicating that the restaurant addressed the previously cited violations and met the requirements for reopening. The Grade Z designation is an administrative grade assigned following a reopening inspection and is not posted publicly in the restaurant's window.
The rapid turnaround between closure and reopening suggests that Sipsteria took prompt corrective action to resolve the issues identified during the January 8 inspection.
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 accumulated during an inspection:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection through an administrative tribunal process. Grades are posted in the front window of each restaurant as required by law.
Sipsteria's initial score of 48 placed it significantly above the Grade C threshold of 28 points. However, the follow-up inspection score of 2 points would place the establishment well within Grade A range, indicating substantial improvement.
Consumers can look up the inspection history of any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH online database or the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection data is public record and is updated regularly as new inspections are completed and processed.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Sipsteria including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.