Brooklyn, NY — Spices Cuisine, a Caribbean restaurant at 1199 Nostrand Avenue in Crown Heights, received a Grade B with a score of 27 following a health inspection conducted on March 11, 2026. The score sits at the very top of the Grade B range, just one point below the threshold for a Grade C designation.

Inspectors from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) documented one critical violation during the inspection. The data was released publicly by DOHMH on March 13, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection identified a single critical violation related to food handling and safety:

  • Code 04H: Raw, cooked, or prepared food was found to be adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with the establishment's HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plan.

This violation addresses the core safety of food served to customers. HACCP plans are designed to identify and control biological, chemical, and physical hazards throughout the food preparation process. A failure to follow these protocols can result in food that does not meet safety standards reaching consumers.

No non-critical violations were documented during this inspection cycle.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain food safety protocols that prevent adulteration and contamination at every stage of preparation, storage, and service. The FDA Food Code further establishes that food must be protected from cross-contamination through proper separation, storage temperatures, and handling procedures.

A score of 27 is notable because it represents the maximum number of points a restaurant can accumulate while still retaining a Grade B classification. One additional violation point would push the establishment into Grade C territory, which carries more significant consequences for public-facing signage and consumer perception.

Inspection History

Spices Cuisine's recent inspection record reflects a pattern of fluctuation:

  • December 17, 2025: Score 84 (Grade N), closed by DOHMH
  • December 26, 2025: Score 2 (Grade Z), reopened following re-inspection

The restaurant was closed in December 2025 after receiving a score of 84, which indicated numerous violations at that time. It reopened just nine days later on December 26 after a re-inspection yielded a score of 2, demonstrating the establishment could meet health standards when required.

The current score of 27 represents a significant increase from the post-reopening score of 2 recorded in late December, though it remains far below the 84-point score that triggered the previous closure.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on total violation points identified during inspections:

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

Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection. Grades are required to be posted at the entrance of the establishment so that customers can make informed decisions.

Consumers can verify any restaurant's inspection history through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database or by visiting NYCRestaurantInspections.com. All inspection data referenced in this article is sourced from publicly available DOHMH records.

More About This Restaurant

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