ZOMA EXPRESS
973 COLUMBUS AVENUE, Manhattan, NY 10025 · Restaurant (Ethiopian)
Inspection summary
ZOMA EXPRESS has been inspected 4 times by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) since July 8, 2025. The most recent inspection, on July 30, 2025, recorded 1 infraction.
None of the 4 inspections on record were free of infractions. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Pests and Protecting food from contamination.
Recent inspections have recorded fewer infractions than earlier ones, so the record is improving.
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 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on July 21, 2025. For example:
Accurate thermometer not provided or properly located in refrigerated, cold storage or hot holding equipment
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 July 21, 2025. 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 once on July 21, 2025. For example:
No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.
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 July 8, 2025. For example:
Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses.
Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk
Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.
Recorded once on July 8, 2025. For example:
Pesticide not properly labeled or used by unlicensed individual. Pesticide, other toxic chemical improperly used/stored. Unprotected, unlocked bait station used.
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.
4 inspections
- Pre-permit (Non-operational) / Compliance Inspection
1 infraction
- 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
- 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.
- Administrative Miscellaneous / Re-inspection
1 infraction
- 20-08: Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information
- Not Critical
- 20-08: Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information
- Pre-permit (Non-operational) / Re-inspection
6 infractions
- 10E: Accurate thermometer not provided or properly located in refrigerated, cold storage or hot holding equipment
- Not Critical
- 05H: No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.
- Critical
- 28-06: Contract with a pest management professional not in place. Record of extermination activities not kept on premises.
- Not Critical
- 08A: Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
- Not Critical
- 04K: Evidence of rats or live rats 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
- 10E: Accurate thermometer not provided or properly located in refrigerated, cold storage or hot holding equipment
- Pre-permit (Non-operational) / Initial Inspection
4 infractions
- 04J: Properly scaled and calibrated thermometer or thermocouple not provided or not readily accessible in food preparation and hot/cold holding areas to measure temperatures of TCS foods during cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding.
- Critical
- 05F: Insufficient or no hot holding, cold storage or cold holding equipment provided to maintain Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS) at required temperatures
- Critical
- 06F: Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses.
- Critical
- 08C: Pesticide not properly labeled or used by unlicensed individual. Pesticide, other toxic chemical improperly used/stored. Unprotected, unlocked bait station used.
- Not Critical
- 04J: Properly scaled and calibrated thermometer or thermocouple not provided or not readily accessible in food preparation and hot/cold holding areas to measure temperatures of TCS foods during cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding.
Nearby inspected facilities
- TRUDY'S ICE CREAM
975 COLUMBUS AVENUE, Manhattan, NY 10025
3 inspections
- HALAL CHICK'S
961 COLUMBUS AVENUE, Manhattan, NY 10025
4 inspections
- DONGBEI
953 COLUMBUS AVENUE, Manhattan, NY 10025
1 inspection
- CREPES ON COLUMBUS
990 COLUMBUS AVENUE, Manhattan, NY 10025
6 inspections
- THE CALAVERAS
949 COLUMBUS AVENUE, Manhattan, NY 10025
6 inspections
- TYPHOON CAFE
947 COLUMBUS AVENUE, Manhattan, NY 10025
2 inspections
- COMA BUENO
944 COLUMBUS AVENUE, Manhattan, NY 10025
6 inspections
- DOABA DELI
945 COLUMBUS AVENUE, Manhattan, NY 10025
9 inspections