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LINCOLN STREET DINER

309 EAST LINCOLN STREET, ITHACA, NY 14850 · Restaurant (Restaurant/Catering Operation)

Inspection summary

LINCOLN STREET DINER has been inspected 54 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since May 19, 2005. The most recent inspection, on October 7, 2026, recorded 2 infractions.

28 of 54 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 2 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Cleaning and sanitizing and Handwashing and staff hygiene.

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 19 times across 16 separate inspections, most recently on October 7, 2026. For example: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).

  • 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 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on July 5, 2022. For example: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions

  • 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 April 28, 2017. 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 once on April 28, 2017. For example: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw 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 once on August 9, 2016. 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.

54 inspections

  1. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
      • Critical Violation
    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
  2. Inspection

    0 infractions

  3. Inspection

    0 infractions

  4. Inspection

    0 infractions

  5. Inspection

    0 infractions

  6. Inspection

    0 infractions

  7. Inspection

    0 infractions

  8. Inspection

    0 infractions

  9. Inspection

    0 infractions

  10. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
      • Not Critical Violation
  11. Inspection

    0 infractions

  12. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
      • Not Critical Violation
  13. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  14. Re-Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    2 infractions

    • 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
      • Critical Violation
  16. 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
  17. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  18. Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    1 infraction

    • 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
      • Not Critical Violation
  20. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
      • Not Critical Violation
  21. Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    1 infraction

    • 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
      • Not Critical Violation
  23. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  24. 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
    • 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
      • Critical Violation
    • 3C: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
      • Critical Violation
  25. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 14B: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
      • Not Critical Violation
  26. Inspection

    0 infractions

  27. Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    0 infractions

  29. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  30. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 5D: Potentially hazardous foods such as salads prepared from potatoes or macaroni are not prepared as recommended using prechilled ingredients and not prechilled to 45�F or less as recommended before they are stored on buffet lines.
      • 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
  31. Inspection

    0 infractions

  32. Inspection

    0 infractions

  33. Inspection

    0 infractions

  34. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  35. Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    2 infractions

    • 8F: Improper thawing procedures used
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 8C: Improper use and storage of clean, sanitized equipment and utensils
      • Not Critical Violation
  37. Inspection

    0 infractions

  38. Inspection

    0 infractions

  39. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 15B: Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
      • Not Critical Violation
  40. Re-Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    2 infractions

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

    0 infractions

  43. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 12D: Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs
      • Not Critical Violation
  44. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  45. 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
  46. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 8D: Single service items reused, improperly stored, dispensed, not used when required
      • Not Critical Violation
  47. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  48. Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    0 infractions

  50. 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
  51. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  52. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
      • Critical Violation
    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
  53. Inspection

    0 infractions

  54. Inspection

    0 infractions

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