BELLA LENA'S RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA
511 ROUTE 17M, MIDDLETOWN, NY 10940 · Restaurant (Food Service Establishment)
Inspection summary
BELLA LENA'S RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA has been inspected 25 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since August 5, 2016. The most recent inspection, on April 7, 2026, found no infractions.
14 of 25 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 1 infraction recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Handwashing and staff hygiene and Protecting food from contamination.
The number of infractions per inspection has stayed roughly the same over time.
What these findings mean
Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.
Food temperature controlHigher risk
Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.
Recorded 4 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on October 17, 2022. For example:
Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk
Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.
Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on March 25, 2026. For example:
Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk
This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.
Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on October 17, 2022. For example:
Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk
Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.
Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on April 22, 2025. For example:
Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
PestsHigher risk
Signs of mice, rats, cockroaches or flies, or gaps and clutter that let them get in or hide. Pests carry bacteria and can contaminate food and surfaces, so evidence of activity is treated seriously and usually triggers a follow-up visit.
Recorded 2 times on October 17, 2022. For example:
Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
About this data
These results come from New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.
25 inspections
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 3C: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
- Critical Violation
- 3C: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- Not Critical Violation
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Critical Violation
- 12C: Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Not Critical Violation
- 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 12D: Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs
- Not Critical Violation
- 12D: Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 12C: Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Not Critical Violation
- 12C: Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
7 infractions
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Critical Violation
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Critical Violation
- 14B: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
- Not Critical Violation
- 1D: Canned foods found in poor conditions (leakers, severe dents, rusty, swollen cans)
- Critical Violation
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
- Not Critical Violation
- 10B: Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Not Critical Violation
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Not Critical Violation
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
- Not Critical Violation
- 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
2 infractions
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Critical Violation
- 4D: Other Violations Deemed a Public Health Hazard by the Permit Issuing Official {14-1.10(a)}
- Critical Violation
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
- Critical Violation
- 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 10B: Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Not Critical Violation
- 5A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or below 45�F during cold holding, except smoked fish not kept at or below 38�F during cold holding.
- Critical Violation
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Not Critical Violation
- 10B: Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
- Not Critical Violation
- 11C: Food contact surfaces not washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any time of operations when contamination may have occurred
- Not Critical Violation
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Not Critical Violation
- 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 11A: Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
- Not Critical Violation
- 11A: Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
- Inspection
0 infractions
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