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MOOSEWOOD RESTAURANT

215 NORTH CAYUGA STREET, ITHACA, NY 14850 · Restaurant (Restaurant)

Inspection summary

MOOSEWOOD RESTAURANT has been inspected 53 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since January 24, 1996. The most recent inspection, on July 31, 2026, recorded 3 infractions.

29 of 53 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 3 inspections with 6 infractions 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 20 times across 15 separate inspections, most recently on July 31, 2026. For example: 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.

  • 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 8 times across 8 separate inspections, most recently on May 8, 2026. For example: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing

  • 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 7 times across 7 separate inspections, most recently on May 1, 2024. For example: Raw foods not properly washing prior to serving

  • 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 3 separate inspections, most recently on April 17, 2025. For example: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions

  • Food source, labelling and allergensHigher risk

    Food must come from approved suppliers, stay in labelled containers and be thrown out when it is spoiled or damaged, such as dented or swollen cans. Labelling matters for allergies: an unlabelled container can hide an allergen.

    Recorded once on March 26, 2009. For example: Canned foods found in poor conditions (leakers, severe dents, rusty, swollen cans)

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.

53 inspections

  1. Inspection

    3 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
    • 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
    • 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
  2. Re-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
  3. Inspection

    2 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
    • 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
      • Not Critical Violation
  4. Inspection

    0 infractions

  5. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  6. Inspection

    4 infractions

    • 3C: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
      • Critical Violation
    • 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
    • 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
      • Not Critical Violation
  7. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  8. Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    3 infractions

    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 8G: Raw foods not properly washing prior to serving
      • Not Critical Violation
  10. 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
  11. Inspection

    2 infractions

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

    2 infractions

    • 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
  13. Inspection

    0 infractions

  14. Inspection

    0 infractions

  15. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  16. 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
  17. Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    0 infractions

  19. 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
    • 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

    • 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
  22. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  23. Re-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
  24. Re-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
  25. 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
    • 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
  26. Inspection

    0 infractions

  27. 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
  28. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  29. Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    1 infraction

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

    0 infractions

  32. Inspection

    4 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
    • 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 11A: Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
      • 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
  33. Inspection

    0 infractions

  34. Inspection

    1 infraction

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

    0 infractions

  36. Inspection

    4 infractions

    • 15B: Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 1D: Canned foods found in poor conditions (leakers, severe dents, rusty, swollen cans)
      • 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
    • 12D: Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs
      • Not Critical Violation
  37. 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
  38. 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
  39. Inspection

    0 infractions

  40. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  41. Inspection

    0 infractions

  42. Inspection

    0 infractions

  43. Inspection

    0 infractions

  44. Inspection

    0 infractions

  45. Inspection

    0 infractions

  46. Inspection

    0 infractions

  47. Inspection

    0 infractions

  48. Inspection

    0 infractions

  49. Inspection

    0 infractions

  50. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  51. Inspection

    0 infractions

  52. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  53. Inspection

    0 infractions

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