CEA LO CAFE
1003 SOUNDVIEW AVENUE, Bronx, NY 10472 · Restaurant (Soul Food)
Inspection summary
CEA LO CAFE has been inspected 5 times by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) since June 18, 2024. The most recent inspection, on August 18, 2026, recorded 3 infractions.
None of the 5 inspections on record were free of infractions. In the past 12 months there were 3 inspections with 9 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Food temperature control and Pests.
Recent inspections have recorded fewer infractions than earlier ones, so the record is improving.
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.
Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk
Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.
Recorded 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on August 18, 2026. For example:
Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses.
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 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 11, 2026. For example:
Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
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 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 11, 2026. For example:
Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
Equipment and utensilsLower risk
Equipment has to be built from cleanable materials, kept in good repair and stored properly. These findings are mostly about upkeep, like a cracked shelf, a worn gasket or utensils stored the wrong way. They are generally lower risk but show how well the kitchen is maintained.
Recorded 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on August 18, 2026. For example:
Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of.
Food safety training and certificationLower risk
Most jurisdictions require a certified food handler or manager on site, and some require allergen or food-worker training. These findings mean the paperwork or the trained person was missing at the time. They do not by themselves mean food was handled unsafely.
Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 11, 2026. For example:
20-08: Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information
About this data
These results come from NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), 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.
5 inspections
- Cycle Inspection / Re-inspection
3 infractions
- 10B: Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of.
- Not Critical
- 06F: Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses.
- Critical
- 06D: Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- Critical
- 10B: Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of.
- Administrative Miscellaneous / Initial Inspection
1 infraction
- 20-08: Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information
- Not Critical
- 20-08: Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information
- Cycle Inspection / Initial Inspection
5 infractions
- 02B: Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
- Critical
- 06D: Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- Critical
- 10F: Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
- Not Critical
- 08A: Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
- Not Critical
- 04L: Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
- Critical
- 02B: Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
- Cycle Inspection / Re-inspection
2 infractions
- 10F: Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
- Not Critical
- 10B: Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of.
- Not Critical
- 10F: Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
- Cycle Inspection / Initial Inspection
4 infractions
- 04A: Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.
- Critical
- 02G: Cold TCS food item held above 41 °F; smoked or processed fish held above 38 °F; intact raw eggs held above 45 °F; or reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) TCS foods held above required temperatures except during active necessary preparation.
- Critical
- 03A: Food, prohibited, from unapproved or unknown source, home canned or home prepared. Animal slaughtered, butchered or dressed (eviscerated, skinned) in establishment. Reduced Oxygen Packaged (ROP) fish not frozen before processing. ROP food prepared on premises transported to another site.
- Critical
- 02B: Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
- Critical
- 04A: Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.
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