Brooklyn, NY — Taning Lemon Tea, a coffee and tea establishment located at 781 61 Street in Brooklyn, received a score of 63 on a health inspection conducted on October 20, 2025, according to New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) records. The score places the restaurant in Grade C territory, the lowest letter grade assigned under the city's restaurant grading system.
Inspectors documented two non-critical violations during the visit. No critical violations were recorded. The inspection action noted that violations were cited but did not result in an immediate closure.
What Inspectors Found
The two violations identified during the inspection involved sanitation and single-service item handling:
The first violation, cited under code 10G, pertained to dishwashing and ware washing practices. Inspectors found that cleaning and sanitizing of tableware — including dishes, utensils, and equipment — was deficient. Proper ware washing is a fundamental component of food safety, as inadequately cleaned items can harbor bacteria and other contaminants that may be transferred to food or beverages served to customers.
The second violation, cited under code 10H, involved single-service articles. Inspectors documented that single-service items were either not provided, were being reused, or were not adequately protected from contamination during transportation, storage, or dispensing. Additionally, drinking straws were found not completely enclosed in individual wrappers or dispensed from a sanitary device. For a tea and coffee establishment where straws and single-use items are a routine part of service, maintaining proper handling of these items is essential to preventing cross-contamination.
While neither violation was classified as critical — meaning inspectors did not identify conditions posing an immediate risk of foodborne illness — the cumulative score of 63 points is notably high. The score suggests multiple instances or compounding factors within the cited violation categories that contributed to the elevated point total.
Food Safety Context
New York City's restaurant inspection program operates under NYC Health Code Article 81, which establishes sanitation standards for all food service establishments. The inspection scoring system assigns point values to each violation based on severity, with critical violations carrying higher point values than non-critical ones.
Dishwashing standards are addressed under both local health code requirements and the FDA Food Code, which specifies that food-contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized between uses. The FDA Food Code also establishes requirements for single-service articles, stipulating that items intended for one-time use must be stored and dispensed in a manner that prevents contamination.
A score of 63 with only two non-critical violations is unusual and reflects the point weighting assigned by inspectors for the specific conditions observed. DOHMH inspectors evaluate both the nature and extent of each violation when determining point assessments.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available in DOHMH public records for Taning Lemon Tea at this location. This may indicate that the October 2025 inspection was the establishment's initial inspection, or that prior records are not included in the current public dataset.
It is worth noting that this inspection data was released by DOHMH on February 27, 2026, approximately four months after the inspection was conducted. Conditions at the establishment may have changed since the inspection date, and follow-up inspections may have occurred or may be pending.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on inspection scores under the following scale:
- Grade A: Score of 0 to 13 points
- Grade B: Score of 14 to 27 points
- Grade C: Score of 28 or more points
Taning Lemon Tea's score of 63 falls within the Grade C range. Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection have the opportunity to request a re-inspection and may also contest their grade through an administrative tribunal hearing with the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.
Consumers can look up current inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH website or the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection records, including violation details and historical scores, are public information updated on a regular basis.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Taning Lemon Tea including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.