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SEMICOLON CAFE

516A 3 AVENUE, Manhattan, NY 10016 · Restaurant (Coffee/Tea)

Inspection summary

SEMICOLON CAFE has been inspected 3 times by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) since April 2, 2026. The most recent inspection, on June 17, 2026, recorded 7 infractions.

None of the 3 inspections on record were free of infractions. In the past 12 months there were 3 inspections with 19 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Handwashing and staff hygiene, Cleaning and sanitizing and Pests.

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.

  • 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 17, 2026. For example: Wash hands sign not posted near or above hand washing sink.

  • 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 June 17, 2026. For example: Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient.

  • 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 on April 2, 2026. For example: 28-06: Contract with a pest management professional not in place. Record of extermination activities not kept on premises.

  • 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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 17, 2026. For example: Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.

  • 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 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on June 17, 2026. For example: Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.

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.

3 inspections

  1. Pre-permit (Operational) / Re-inspection

    7 infractions

    • 10G: Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient.
      • Not Critical
    • 04A: Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.
      • Critical
    • 06C: Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
      • Critical
    • 09E: Wash hands sign not posted near or above hand washing sink.
      • Not Critical
    • 06F: Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses.
      • 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
    • 05D: No hand washing facility in or adjacent to toilet room or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Hand washing facility not accessible, obstructed or used for non-hand washing purposes. No hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure. No soap or acceptable hand-drying device.
      • Critical
  2. Administrative Miscellaneous / Re-inspection

    4 infractions

    • 20-08: Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information
      • Not Critical
    • 19-10: Failure to display required signage about plastic straw availability
      • Not Critical
    • 19-06: Providing single-use, non-compostable plastic straws to customers without customer request (including providing such straws at a self-serve station)
      • Not Critical
    • 20-04: “Choking first aid” poster not posted. “Alcohol and Pregnancy” warning sign not posted. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted.
      • Not Critical
  3. Pre-permit (Operational) / Initial Inspection

    8 infractions

    • 28-06: Contract with a pest management professional not in place. Record of extermination activities not kept on premises.
      • Not Critical
    • 04L: Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
      • 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
    • 06D: Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
      • Critical
    • 08A: Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
      • Not Critical
    • 04A: Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.
      • Critical
    • 06C: Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
      • Critical
    • 06A: Personal cleanliness is inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn where required. Jewelry worn on hands or arms. Fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.
      • Critical

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