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HEIGHTS CAFE

903 HANSHAW ROAD, ITHACA, NY 14850 · Restaurant (Restaurant/Catering Operation)

Inspection summary

HEIGHTS CAFE has been inspected 65 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since October 23, 1995. The most recent inspection, on September 10, 2026, found no infractions.

49 of 65 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 3 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 8 times across 7 separate inspections, most recently on October 3, 2022. For example: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.

  • 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 5 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on May 6, 2026. For example: Tobacco is used; eating, drinking in food preparation, dishwashing food storage areas

  • 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 September 6, 2023. 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)

  • 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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on September 6, 2023. For example: Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions

  • 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 once on December 6, 2019. For example: Insects, rodents present

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.

65 inspections

  1. Inspection

    0 infractions

  2. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 9B: Tobacco is used; eating, drinking in food preparation, dishwashing food storage areas
      • Not Critical Violation
  3. Inspection

    0 infractions

  4. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 9B: Tobacco is used; eating, drinking in food preparation, dishwashing food storage areas
      • Not Critical Violation
  5. Inspection

    0 infractions

  6. Inspection

    0 infractions

  7. Inspection

    0 infractions

  8. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  9. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 11A: Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
      • 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
  10. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
      • Critical Violation
  11. Inspection

    0 infractions

  12. Inspection

    0 infractions

  13. Inspection

    0 infractions

  14. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 14A: Insects, rodents present
      • Not Critical Violation
  15. Inspection

    0 infractions

  16. Inspection

    0 infractions

  17. Inspection

    0 infractions

  18. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  19. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 12D: Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 3C: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
      • Critical Violation
  20. Inspection

    0 infractions

  21. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 9B: Tobacco is used; eating, drinking in food preparation, dishwashing food storage areas
      • Not Critical Violation
  22. Inspection

    0 infractions

  23. 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
  24. Inspection

    0 infractions

  25. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 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
  26. Inspection

    0 infractions

  27. Inspection

    0 infractions

  28. Inspection

    0 infractions

  29. Inspection

    0 infractions

  30. Inspection

    0 infractions

  31. Inspection

    0 infractions

  32. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
      • Not Critical Violation
  33. Inspection

    0 infractions

  34. Inspection

    0 infractions

  35. Inspection

    3 infractions

    • 15B: Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • 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
  36. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  37. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 10A: Food (ice) contact surfaces are improperly designed, constructed, installed, located (cracks, open seams, pitted surfaces, tin cans reused, uncleanable or corroded food contact surfaces)
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
      • Critical Violation
  38. Inspection

    0 infractions

  39. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  40. Inspection

    3 infractions

    • 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
      • 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
    • 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
  41. Inspection

    0 infractions

  42. Inspection

    0 infractions

  43. Inspection

    0 infractions

  44. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
  45. Inspection

    0 infractions

  46. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 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
  47. Inspection

    3 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
    • 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
    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
  48. Inspection

    0 infractions

  49. Inspection

    0 infractions

  50. Inspection

    0 infractions

  51. Inspection

    0 infractions

  52. Inspection

    0 infractions

  53. Inspection

    0 infractions

  54. Inspection

    0 infractions

  55. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  56. Inspection

    0 infractions

  57. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  58. Inspection

    0 infractions

  59. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  60. Inspection

    0 infractions

  61. Inspection

    0 infractions

  62. Inspection

    0 infractions

  63. Inspection

    0 infractions

  64. Inspection

    0 infractions

  65. Inspection

    0 infractions

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