Brooklyn, NY — The Spot Cafe, a Latin American restaurant at 358 Bainbridge Street in Brooklyn, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted June 17, 2026. The establishment received a score of 50, placing it firmly in C-grade territory under the city's restaurant grading system. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on June 19, 2026.

Inspectors cited one critical violation, which prompted the immediate closure. The restaurant was ordered to address the violation before resuming operations.

What Inspectors Found

The single violation recorded during the June 17 inspection was classified as critical under the NYC Health Code:

Code 04A — Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.

This violation documents that no individual in a managerial or supervisory role on the premises held a valid Food Protection Certificate at the time of inspection. Under city regulations, at least one manager or supervisor responsible for food operations must hold this certification, which is issued by the DOHMH after completing an approved food safety course and passing an examination.

Despite being the only violation noted, it carried sufficient point weight to produce a score of 50, resulting in a C grade and triggering the closure order. DOHMH noted that violations requiring immediate action were addressed on site, which is standard language indicating the restaurant took corrective steps during the inspection visit itself. However, the establishment remained closed pending review.

Food Safety Context

The Food Protection Certificate requirement exists to ensure that food service operations are supervised by someone trained in proper food handling, storage, temperature control, and sanitation practices. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, specifically Section 81.09, food service establishments are required to have a certified food protection manager on site during all hours of operation.

This requirement aligns with the FDA Food Code, which similarly calls for the presence of a Person in Charge (PIC) who demonstrates knowledge of food safety principles. The rationale is that a trained supervisor is better positioned to recognize and correct unsafe conditions before they can pose a risk to customers.

A score of 50 points is notably elevated. Under the city's system, each violation type carries an assigned point value based on its potential public health impact. Critical violations, which have a direct connection to foodborne illness risk, carry higher point values than non-critical ones. The 04A violation alone accounts for the full 50-point score recorded at this inspection.

Inspection History

The Spot Cafe has had a variable compliance record over the past year. Its recent inspection history, based on DOHMH public data, is as follows:

  • June 17, 2026: Score 50, closed by DOHMH
  • April 6, 2026: Score 25
  • June 23, 2025: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • May 9, 2025: Score 31

The restaurant earned a Grade A at its June 2025 inspection with a score of 13, one of the lowest possible scores. However, just over six weeks earlier, in May 2025, it had recorded a score of 31, which falls in C-grade range. The April 2026 inspection produced a score of 25, a B-grade result. The most recent inspection represents the highest score in its documented history, and the first closure action on record in this dataset.

The fluctuation between inspections suggests inconsistent compliance, particularly around management-level food safety certification requirements.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City requires restaurants to post their most recent letter grade in a visible location near the entrance. Grades are assigned based on the total point score from an inspection:

  • A: 0 to 13 points — fewest violations, highest compliance
  • B: 14 to 27 points — moderate violations, conditional pass
  • C: 28 or more points — significant violations, lowest grade

When a restaurant is closed by DOHMH, it does not receive a letter grade for that inspection cycle until it passes a re-inspection. A restaurant may reopen only after DOHMH confirms the violations have been corrected and the establishment meets minimum standards for safe food service.

Closure actions are among the more serious outcomes of a restaurant inspection. They are triggered when inspectors identify conditions that present an immediate public health hazard, or in some cases, when critical administrative requirements — such as the Food Protection Certificate — are not met.

Members of the public can look up inspection records for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection results database at the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection scores, violation details, and grade history are available for all city-permitted food service establishments.

More About This Restaurant

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