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COAL YARD CAFE

143 MAPLE AVENUE, ITHACA, NY 14850 · Restaurant (Restaurant)

Inspection summary

COAL YARD CAFE has been inspected 26 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since July 3, 2013. The most recent inspection, on August 13, 2026, found no infractions.

12 of 26 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 0 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Protecting food from contamination and Handwashing and staff hygiene.

The last 2 inspections in a row found no infractions. 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 15 times across 9 separate inspections, most recently on March 19, 2025. For example: 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.

  • 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 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on March 21, 2023. For example: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.

  • 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 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on June 1, 2021. For example: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.

  • 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 across 2 separate inspections, most recently on April 12, 2019. For example: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin

  • 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 once on June 10, 2019. For example: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions

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.

26 inspections

  1. Inspection

    0 infractions

  2. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  3. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 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
  4. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  5. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 8F: Improper thawing procedures used
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
      • Critical Violation
  6. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  7. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
      • Critical Violation
  8. Re-Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 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
  9. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 5E: Enough refrigerated storage equipment is not present, properly designed, maintained or operated so that all potentially hazardous foods are cooled properly and stored below 45�F as required.
      • Critical Violation
  10. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  11. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 3C: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
      • Critical Violation
  12. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  13. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
      • 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
  14. Inspection

    0 infractions

  15. Inspection

    0 infractions

  16. Re-Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
      • Not Critical Violation
  17. Inspection

    5 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
    • 3C: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
      • 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
    • 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
      • 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
  18. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  19. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 2E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate potentially hazardous food temperatures during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
      • Critical Violation
    • 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
      • Critical Violation
  20. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  21. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 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
  22. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 14B: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 9B: Tobacco is used; eating, drinking in food preparation, dishwashing food storage areas
      • Not Critical Violation
  23. Inspection

    0 infractions

  24. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  25. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 5E: Enough refrigerated storage equipment is not present, properly designed, maintained or operated so that all potentially hazardous foods are cooled properly and stored below 45�F as required.
      • Critical Violation
  26. Inspection

    4 infractions

    • 5E: Enough refrigerated storage equipment is not present, properly designed, maintained or operated so that all potentially hazardous foods are cooled properly and stored below 45�F as required.
      • 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
    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
      • Critical Violation

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