Manhattan, NY — Village Square Pizza, located at 147 West 35th Street in Midtown Manhattan, received a score of 24 following a health inspection conducted on May 20, 2025. The score places the pizzeria in the Grade B range, though notably near the upper threshold — just three points below the 28-point cutoff where a Grade C designation begins.

Inspectors documented two critical violations and one non-critical violation during the evaluation. The inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 4, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection identified two critical food safety violations, both related to temperature control of time and temperature controlled for safety (TCS) foods:

Inspectors cited the restaurant for holding hot TCS food items below the required minimum of 140°F (Code 02B). Proper hot-holding temperatures are essential to preventing the growth of harmful bacteria that can multiply rapidly in the temperature danger zone between 41°F and 140°F.

A second critical violation was recorded for cold TCS food items held above 41°F (Code 02G). This category also covers smoked or processed fish held above 38°F and intact raw eggs held above 45°F. For a pizza establishment that routinely handles ingredients such as cheese, meats, and prepared toppings, consistent cold storage is a fundamental food safety requirement.

Inspectors also noted one non-critical violation (Code 10F) regarding non-food contact surfaces or equipment that were not kept clean or were made of unacceptable material. While classified as non-critical, equipment maintenance contributes to overall sanitation standards.

Food Safety Context

Temperature control violations are among the most commonly cited issues in New York City restaurant inspections and are considered critical because of their direct relationship to foodborne illness risk. Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain hot foods at or above 140°F and cold foods at or below 41°F.

The FDA Food Code similarly identifies the range between 41°F and 140°F as the "temperature danger zone," where bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria can double in number in as little as 20 minutes. Two simultaneous temperature control violations — one hot, one cold — indicate that the restaurant was experiencing lapses on both ends of the safe holding spectrum at the time of inspection.

Inspection History

Village Square Pizza's recent inspection record shows scores consistently in the upper portion of the grading scale:

  • May 20, 2025: Score 24 (Grade B)
  • Jul 17, 2025: Score 21 (Grade Z — pending adjudication)
  • Sep 12, 2023: Score 27

The 2023 inspection resulted in a score of 27, which sits at the very top of the Grade B range. The current score of 24 represents a modest improvement from that earlier result but remains elevated relative to the citywide average.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on inspection scores under the DOHMH grading system:

  • A: 0–13 points — Minimal violations identified
  • B: 14–27 points — Moderate violations identified
  • C: 28 or more points — Significant violations identified

With a score of 24, Village Square Pizza falls in the upper portion of the B range. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations.

Consumers can look up any restaurant's inspection history on the DOHMH website or through the NYC Open Data portal. Inspection results for Village Square Pizza and all New York City restaurants are public record and updated regularly as new data becomes available.

More About This Restaurant

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