Manhattan, NY — The Best Sichuan, a Chinese restaurant at 47 West 39th Street in Midtown Manhattan, received a Grade B score of 26 following a health inspection conducted on February 26, 2026. The score places the restaurant at the upper boundary of the Grade B range, just one point below the 28-point threshold for a Grade C designation.
The inspection data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 4, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented one critical violation during the inspection:
- Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F (Violation Code 02B)
TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Safety) foods include items such as cooked meats, rice, soups, and sauces that require strict temperature maintenance to prevent bacterial growth. When these foods fall below 140 °F in a hot-holding environment, they enter the "danger zone" between 41 °F and 140 °F, where bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Clostridium perfringens can multiply rapidly.
No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection cycle.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 requires that all food service establishments maintain TCS foods at or above 140 °F during hot holding, consistent with the FDA Food Code guidelines. Temperature control is one of the most fundamental food safety practices, as improper holding temperatures are among the leading contributors to foodborne illness.
A single critical violation carrying a score of 26 points indicates that inspectors assessed the condition as a significant departure from required standards. Under the DOHMH scoring system, critical violations related to temperature control carry variable point values depending on the severity and extent of the condition observed.
Inspection History
The Best Sichuan has undergone multiple inspections in recent years, with scores that have fluctuated considerably:
- Nov 10, 2025: Score not recorded
- Sep 4, 2025: Score 37
- Apr 29, 2024: Score 25
- Mar 25, 2024: Score 63 (Grade C)
- Mar 7, 2024: Score not recorded
- Jan 9, 2024: Score 16
- Nov 29, 2022: Score 28 (Grade C)
The restaurant's record includes two prior Grade C scores — a 28 in November 2022 and a 63 in March 2024. The September 2025 score of 37 also fell within Grade C territory. The current score of 26 represents an improvement over several recent inspection cycles but remains at the high end of the Grade B range.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on inspection scores under the DOHMH grading system:
- Grade A: 0–13 points (lowest number of violation points)
- Grade B: 14–27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. The Best Sichuan's current score of 26 falls within the Grade B range but sits just one point from a Grade C classification.
Residents can look up any restaurant's inspection history through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database or the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection results are public record and are updated regularly as new data becomes available.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for The Best Sichuan including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.