From filth to flies — some restaurants across Harlem have dirty secrets they’d rather you didn’t know or think about. Fortunately for the diner’s well-being, New York City’s Health Department is watching.
Every year, inspectors go unannounced into more than 24,000 restaurants in the city. Of them, the majority are fine, but some fall disgustingly short of the city’s cleanliness requirements.
The most common violations, according to the city, are food stored at wrong temperatures, vermin, “plumbing” issues (the mind boggles) and basic food safety protocols not being followed.
Every week, the good folks at Patch will tell us which restaurants have gotten the chop – try not to read over your lunch break.
Inspection scores above 28 earn eateries a C grade and extra close monitoring from the city’s health department – which could decide to shut it down.
These are the restaurants closed down since March 22, 2019, according to the Department of Health:
Makana, 1502 Amsterdam Avenue (link)
Violation points: 52
- Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
- Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
- Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at the facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
- Facility, not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions are conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
Pizza Plus, 2253 Third Avenue (link)
Violation points: 48
- Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
- Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
- Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
- Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
- Facility, not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions were conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
- Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
Click here to the list of closed restaurants in other parts of the city.
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