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 July 19, 2019, according to the New York City’s Health Department:
Harlem:
Cafe 86, 2350 Broadway
Violation points: 55
- Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
- 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.
- Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
- Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
- Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions 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 NYC.
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