Manhattan, NY — Springbone Kitchen, located at 488 Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, received a score of 38 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on April 2, 2026, placing the restaurant in Grade C status. One critical violation was documented during the visit. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 6, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors identified one critical violation at Springbone Kitchen during the April inspection. The violation, recorded under Code 02B, cited that hot temperature-controlled for safety (TCS) food items were not being held at or above 140°F.

Under food safety standards established by the NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, hot TCS foods — those requiring temperature control to limit bacterial growth — must be maintained at 140°F or higher throughout the holding period. Foods that fall below this threshold enter what regulators refer to as the "temperature danger zone," the range between 41°F and 140°F in which pathogens such as Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus can multiply at accelerated rates.

A Code 02B violation is classified as critical because improper hot-holding temperatures present a direct risk of foodborne illness to consumers. The inspection record does not specify which food items were cited or how far below the required threshold the recorded temperatures fell.

No non-critical violations were documented during the same inspection visit.

Food Safety Context

New York City's restaurant inspection program is administered by the DOHMH and evaluates food service establishments on a point-based scoring system tied to the NYC Health Code Article 81. Each violation category carries a defined point value, with critical violations — those most directly linked to foodborne illness risk — assigned higher point totals.

The FDA Food Code, which forms the basis of many local health codes including New York City's, establishes 140°F as the minimum safe holding temperature for hot foods. Proper hot-holding is a core component of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles, which food service operators are expected to implement in commercial kitchen environments.

Restaurants in New York City are subject to unannounced routine inspections. When a critical violation is cited, establishments are typically given an opportunity to correct the condition before the inspector departs, though the violation remains part of the official inspection record regardless of on-site correction.

Inspection History

Springbone Kitchen's recent inspection record shows a single prior entry on file:

  • 2023-08-31: Score 3 (Grade A)

The restaurant's most recent prior inspection, conducted in August 2023, resulted in a score of 3, well within Grade A range. The jump to a score of 38 in the April 2026 inspection represents a significant change from the establishment's previous record.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants following health inspections based on the total point score received. The grading scale is defined as follows:

  • Grade A: Score of 0 to 13 points
  • Grade B: Score of 14 to 27 points
  • Grade C: Score of 28 points or higher

A Grade C designation indicates that the establishment scored 28 or more points during the most recent completed inspection cycle. Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection, at which point the resulting grade is posted publicly. During the period between an initial inspection and a re-inspection, restaurants may post a "Grade Pending" card rather than the letter grade.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH's NYC Restaurant Inspection Results database, accessible via NYC Open Data at data.cityofnewyork.us. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or cuisine type to review current and historical inspection records.

More About This Restaurant

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