Manhattan, NY — Sweetgreen, the salad chain located at 27 East 23rd Street in Manhattan's Flatiron district, received a score of 31 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on December 10, 2025, placing the restaurant in Grade C territory. The data was released publicly by DOHMH on March 26, 2026. Inspectors documented 8 critical violations and 25 non-critical violations during the visit.

What Inspectors Found

The most significant violations recorded during the December inspection involved temperature control failures for food items classified as Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) foods. Inspectors cited the location multiple times under Code 02G, documenting that cold TCS food items were held above the required 41°F threshold. Proper cold-holding temperatures are a foundational food safety requirement because harmful bacteria multiply rapidly in food held above that level.

In addition to cold-holding failures, inspectors cited the restaurant multiple times under Code 02B, which covers hot TCS food items not maintained at or above 140°F. Together, these temperature violations accounted for a significant share of the critical findings and represent the categories of violations most directly associated with foodborne illness risk.

Among the non-critical violations, inspectors identified several recurring issues. Code 10B was cited multiple times, covering improper drainage, absence of required anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention devices, or improperly disposed condensation and liquid waste. Code 10F was documented repeatedly as well, noting non-food contact surfaces or equipment made of unacceptable materials, not kept clean, or not properly sealed or positioned to allow for cleaning. Code 10E was cited for the absence of accurate thermometers in refrigerated or cold storage equipment — a finding that connects directly to the cold-holding violations documented under the critical category.

Code 10G, covering deficiencies in dishwashing and ware washing practices, was also recorded multiple times. Inspectors additionally cited Code 19-07 on numerous occasions, which involves failure to maintain a sufficient supply of single-use, non-compostable plastic straws as required under applicable city rules.

Food Safety Context

Temperature control violations of the type documented at this location are among the categories most closely monitored under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code. Both regulatory frameworks establish specific safe holding temperatures for TCS foods — those that require time and temperature control to prevent pathogen growth — because foodborne bacteria including Salmonella, Listeria, and Staphylococcus aureus can reach dangerous concentrations when food is held at improper temperatures for extended periods.

The FDA Food Code defines the "danger zone" for bacterial growth as temperatures between 41°F and 135°F. Foods held within this range for more than four hours are considered potentially adulterated. The repeated nature of the Code 02G and 02B citations across multiple food items during this inspection indicates that temperature control was not being maintained systematically at the time of the visit.

Ware washing deficiencies noted under Code 10G are also considered significant because inadequate sanitization of food contact surfaces can serve as a vehicle for cross-contamination.

Inspection History

According to data available through DOHMH's public inspection records, no prior inspection history is available for this location in the current dataset.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, converts inspection scores into letter grades displayed publicly at restaurant entrances. The scoring system works as follows:

  • A: Score of 0 to 13 points (fewest violations)
  • B: Score of 14 to 27 points
  • C: Score of 28 or more points (most violations)

A lower score reflects fewer or less severe violations. When a restaurant scores in the B or C range on an initial inspection, it is offered the option to be re-inspected before a grade is posted. The grade ultimately displayed at the establishment reflects the score from that adjudication process.

Consumers can look up inspection records for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH's NYC Restaurant Inspection Results database, available through NYC Open Data at data.cityofnewyork.us. The database includes violation details, scores, and grade history for all inspected establishments.

More About This Restaurant

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