Manhattan, NY — Tasty Dumpling, a Chinese restaurant at 42 Mulberry Street in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted June 22, 2026. The establishment received a score of 55, placing it in C-grade range. Inspectors cited two critical violations. Data from this inspection was released by DOHMH on June 24, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented two critical violations during the June 22 inspection, both of which require immediate corrective action under city and federal food safety guidelines.

The first violation, Code 04A, notes that no manager or supervisor on the premises held a valid Food Protection Certificate (FPC). New York City requires that at least one certified food protection manager be present and responsible for food operations at all times a food service establishment is open. The FPC is issued by DOHMH after completion of an approved food safety course and passing an examination.

The second violation, Code 05F, identifies insufficient or absent equipment for hot holding, cold storage, or cold holding of Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) foods. TCS foods — including cooked proteins, dairy, cut produce, and cooked starches — must be maintained at specific temperatures to prevent bacterial growth. The FDA Food Code requires cold holding at or below 41°F and hot holding at or above 140°F. Inspectors found that the equipment available at the time of inspection was insufficient to meet these standards.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

Temperature control failures are among the most consequential violations identified in food service inspections. According to the FDA Food Code, bacteria that cause foodborne illness — including Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Clostridium perfringens — multiply rapidly when TCS foods are held in the temperature danger zone between 41°F and 140°F.

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, establishments that pose an imminent public health hazard may be ordered closed by DOHMH inspectors on the spot. When critical violations are identified and cannot be immediately corrected to the inspector's satisfaction, a closure order may be issued. The record indicates that violations requiring immediate action were addressed at the time of inspection, a standard step in the closure process that allows for a reinspection and potential reopening.

The absence of a certified Food Protection Certificate holder (Code 04A) is considered a critical violation because the FPC requirement is designed to ensure that at least one individual responsible for food operations has demonstrated knowledge of safe food handling, cross-contamination prevention, and temperature management practices.

Inspection History

Tasty Dumpling has a documented inspection history with DOHMH spanning several years. The record shows a pattern of elevated scores in recent cycles:

  • June 22, 2026: Score 55 (C grade range), closed by DOHMH
  • May 13, 2026: Score 51 (Grade Z)
  • December 11, 2025: Score 42
  • July 9, 2024: Score 20 (Grade B)
  • May 31, 2024: Score 16
  • January 13, 2023: Score 9 (Grade P — initial inspection)
  • January 9, 2023: Score 19, closed by DOHMH
  • February 23, 2022: Score 11 (Grade A)

The restaurant previously received a Grade A in February 2022 and was also closed following a January 2023 inspection. Scores have trended upward through 2025 and into 2026, with the May 2026 inspection resulting in a Grade Z — a designation assigned when a restaurant's score has not yet been graded following a recent cycle — and the June 2026 inspection resulting in closure.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades based on the point score accumulated during a sanitary inspection. Points are added for each violation found, with higher-severity violations carrying more points. The grading scale is 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 more
  • Grade Z: Score not yet converted to a letter grade (typically during an active inspection cycle)
  • Grade P: Posted during re-inspection when the initial score was 28 or higher

A score of 55 falls well within C-grade territory. Restaurants that score in the B or C range are typically subject to a follow-up reinspection, during which a final grade is assigned. Establishments that are closed must pass reinspection before they are permitted to reopen.

Inspection results for all New York City food service establishments are publicly available through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov. Residents 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 Tasty Dumpling including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.