See The NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed Last Week

NEW YORK, NY — Filth flies, roaches, mice and unwashed hands — restaurants across the city have dirty secrets they’d rather you didn't know 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, Patch will tell you 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 May 18, 2018, according to the Department of Health:

Manhattan:

ST NICHOLAS FOOD & CAFE

285 SAINT NICHOLAS AVE.

Violation points: 112

• Food from unapproved or unknown source or home canned. Reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) fish not frozen before processing; or ROP foods prepared on premises transported to another site.
• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• Food contact surface improperly constructed or located. Unacceptable material used.
• Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods at required temperatures.
• No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

ANTHONY CAFE

73 SECOND AVE.

Violation points: 47

• Evidence of mice or live mice 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.
• 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 facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Food contact surface not properly maintained.
• 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.

POLPETTE

483 AMSTERDAM AVE.

Violation points: 42

• Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

WESTEND LOUNGE

955 WEST END AVE.

Violation points: 70

• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• Evidence of rats or live rats 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.
• No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

SPOONBREAD TOO

364 W. 110TH ST.

Violation points: 59

• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours.
• Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
• Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods at required temperatures.

Brooklyn:

LAKAY VENUS RESTAURANT

637 ROGERS AVE.

Violation points: 66

• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

CANTEEN

57 FOURTH AVE.

Violation points: 53

• 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.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Food contact surface not properly maintained.
• Accurate thermometer not provided in refrigerated or hot holding equipment.
• 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.

BOLLA MARKET

497 MEEKER AVE.

Violation points: 73

• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• 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.
• Food contact surface improperly constructed or located. Unacceptable material used.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
• 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.

BROWN BUTTER

413 TOMPKINS AVE.

Violation points: 55

• 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.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
• Thawing procedures improper.
• 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.

TETE A TETE

2601 E. 14TH ST.

Violation points: 46

• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

SUMMER'S LUNCHEONETTE

601 GREENWOOD AVE.

Violation points: 36

• 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.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
• 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.

NAIM KOSHER PIZZA

3904 15TH AVE.

Violation points: 54

• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours.
• Food prepared from ingredients at ambient temperature not cooled to 41º F or below within 4 hours.
• Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods at required temperatures.

Queens:

IL FALCO

21-50 44TH DRIVE

Violation points: 43

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

Lead image via Serghei Starus/Shutterstock