Brooklyn, NY — Soulkofa, a vegan restaurant located at 235 Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on March 26, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 67 points, placing the establishment firmly in C-grade territory and prompting the closure order. The inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 31, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

During the March 26 inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented two violations — one critical and one non-critical.

The critical violation, cited under Code 02B, found that hot time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food items were not being held at or above 140°F. Maintaining proper hot-holding temperatures is a fundamental food safety requirement. When hot foods drop below this threshold, bacterial growth can accelerate rapidly, increasing the risk of foodborne illness.

The non-critical violation, cited under Code 20-06, noted that the restaurant did not have its current letter grade or Grade Pending card posted in a location visible to the public. NYC Health Code requires that restaurants display their most current grade prominently for customer awareness.

DOHMH noted that violations requiring immediate action were addressed at the time of inspection, though the closure order remained in effect pending a satisfactory re-inspection.

Food Safety Context

Hot-holding temperature requirements are grounded in well-established food safety science. Both NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code identify the temperature range between 40°F and 140°F as the "temperature danger zone," within which harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostilium perfringens can multiply to unsafe levels within a matter of hours.

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, establishments are required to maintain hot TCS foods at or above 140°F at all times when held for service. Failure to meet this standard is classified as a critical violation because of its direct potential to cause foodborne illness.

The grade posting requirement under Code 20-06, while non-critical, serves a transparency function — ensuring that customers have access to the most current assessment of a restaurant's food safety practices before they choose to dine there.

Inspection History

The March 2026 closure is not an isolated event for Soulkofa. DOHMH inspection records show a pattern of high scores and prior closure actions stretching back several years:

  • 2026-03-26: Score 67, closed by DOHMH
  • 2025-09-26: Score 35 (Grade C)
  • 2025-08-05: Score 31
  • 2025-05-20: Score 7 (Grade P)
  • 2025-04-29: Score 65, closed by DOHMH
  • 2025-01-28: Score 30 (Grade C)
  • 2024-11-18: Score 18
  • 2023-02-28: Score 3 (Grade P)
  • 2023-02-24: Score 13
  • 2023-02-22: Score 40
  • 2023-02-17: Score 62, closed by DOHMH

The restaurant has now been closed by DOHMH on three separate occasions — in February 2023, April 2025, and March 2026. Following the 2023 and 2025 closures, the establishment was eventually permitted to reopen after demonstrating compliance. Scores in the single digits recorded during re-inspections in May 2025 and February 2023 indicate the restaurant has the capacity to meet health code standards.

The trajectory heading into the most recent closure, however, reflects elevated scores across multiple consecutive inspections. The September 2025 score of 35 and the March 2026 score of 67 represent the two highest recorded scores outside of prior closure inspections.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City uses a letter grading system based on inspection scores assigned during DOHMH visits. Each violation carries a point value, and a restaurant's total score determines its grade:

  • A: Score of 0–13 points (posted immediately)
  • B: Score of 14–27 points (restaurant may request re-inspection before grade is posted)
  • C: Score of 28 or more points (restaurant may request re-inspection before grade is posted)
  • Grade Pending: Displayed when a restaurant has requested a re-inspection and a final grade has not yet been assigned

Restaurants that receive a score requiring a closure are subject to a DOHMH-supervised compliance process before they are permitted to resume operations. A public re-inspection must confirm that the conditions that prompted closure have been corrected.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database at nyc.gov/health. Consumers can search by restaurant name or location to review full inspection histories, individual violation codes, and current grade status.

More About This Restaurant

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