Ben Cotto

• resultFail
• critical violations3
• last inspectedJuly 23, 2026
• address357 Hanover St, Boston 02113

Is Ben Cotto clean?

Ben Cotto is currently Fail from Boston Inspectional Services, Health Division, from an inspection on July 23, 2026. Inspectors wrote up 3 critical violations — the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads cooked 🪳.

What did inspectors find at Ben Cotto?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on July 23, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• ⚠️Effectiveness-Hair Restraints (C) • Observed staff working in the kitchen (with foods) missing hair restraint. Provide to prevent contaminations
  Effectiveness-Hair Restraints (C) • Observed staff working in the kitchen (with foods) missing hair restraint. Provide to prevent contaminations
• ⚠️(A)-(P) Person-In-Charge-Duties (Pf) • P's & PF's violation noted on the report. PIC to provide active managerial controls and train staff on violations noted on the inspection report
  (A)-(P) Person-In-Charge-Duties (Pf) • P's & PF's violation noted on the report. PIC to provide active managerial controls and train staff on violations noted on the inspection report
• ⚠️Packaged and Unpackaged Food-Separation Packaging and Segregation (P) • Raw shelled eggs observed stored above RTE tiramisu dessert. Discontinue . Store as discussedcritical
  Packaged and Unpackaged Food-Separation Packaging and Segregation (P) • Raw shelled eggs observed stored above RTE tiramisu dessert. Discontinue . Store as discussed
• ⚠️Food Storage Containers Identified with Common Name of Food (C) • Bulk bins storage containers condiments containers observed without labels. Provide labels when removed from original containers
  Food Storage Containers Identified with Common Name of Food (C) • Bulk bins storage containers condiments containers observed without labels. Provide labels when removed from original containers
• ⚠️Miscellaneous Sources of Contamination (C) • Barrier observed missing between handwashing sink & hot holding unit. Provide Frying basket/ knife holder observed stored inside the mop sink area. Discontinue/Remove Mop sink observed missing enclosure. Install
  Miscellaneous Sources of Contamination (C) • Barrier observed missing between handwashing sink & hot holding unit. Provide Frying basket/ knife holder observed stored inside the mop sink area. Discontinue/Remove Mop sink observed missing enclosure. Install
• ⚠️Reheating for Hot Holding (P) • Cooked meatball 68F-70F observed stored in the hot holding unit. Food was removed and reheated to 198F prior to placing in the hot holding unit.critical
  Reheating for Hot Holding (P) • Cooked meatball 68F-70F observed stored in the hot holding unit. Food was removed and reheated to 198F prior to placing in the hot holding unit.
• ⚠️Ready-To-Eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food Date Marking (Pf) • Multiple containers of prepped foods observed stored in the walking and reach in cold unit without date marking. Provide made discard date prior to storing.
  Ready-To-Eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food Date Marking (Pf) • Multiple containers of prepped foods observed stored in the walking and reach in cold unit without date marking. Provide made discard date prior to storing.
• ⚠️Sanitizing Solutions Testing Devices (Pf) • PIC unable to provide sanitizer test strips to measure the sanitizer pH in the 3 bay sink. Provide Inspectors test strips was used to record the pH.
  Sanitizing Solutions Testing Devices (Pf) • PIC unable to provide sanitizer test strips to measure the sanitizer pH in the 3 bay sink. Provide Inspectors test strips was used to record the pH.
• ⚠️Cutting Surfaces (C) • Kitchen main cutting boards observed heavily scored. Resurface/replace to remove
  Cutting Surfaces (C) • Kitchen main cutting boards observed heavily scored. Resurface/replace to remove
• ⚠️(A) Equipment Food-Contact Surfaces Nonfood-Contact Surfaces and Utensils (Pf) • Interior of ice machine observed soiled with brown substances interior of middle bay of the food prep sink observed soiled with food debris. Clean & sanitize to remove
  (A) Equipment Food-Contact Surfaces Nonfood-Contact Surfaces and Utensils (Pf) • Interior of ice machine observed soiled with brown substances interior of middle bay of the food prep sink observed soiled with food debris. Clean & sanitize to remove
• ⚠️Using a Handwashing Sink-Operation and Maintenance (Pf) • Food prep/warewashing handsink observed blocked by multiple articles. Remove. Maintain accessible at all time to encourage handwashing by food handlers . Excess water from ice machine observed dispensing non stop inside the warewashing/food prep area handsink. Discontinue
  Using a Handwashing Sink-Operation and Maintenance (Pf) • Food prep/warewashing handsink observed blocked by multiple articles. Remove. Maintain accessible at all time to encourage handwashing by food handlers . Excess water from ice machine observed dispensing non stop inside the warewashing/food prep area handsink. Discontinue
• ⚠️Backflow Prevention (P) • Food prep sink observed missing air gap/ direct to waste PIC to provide detailed plumbers report on the cost of install of an air gap in the food prep sink to: [email protected] *** If the air gap is installed prior to the compliance inspection: A Permit must be secured from Inspectional Services Plumbing Division prior to Commencement of any Plumbing work. Additionally a final approval from the plumbing inspector is required before a reinspection may be scheduledcritical
  Backflow Prevention (P) • Food prep sink observed missing air gap/ direct to waste PIC to provide detailed plumbers report on the cost of install of an air gap in the food prep sink to: [email protected] *** If the air gap is installed prior to the compliance inspection: A Permit must be secured from Inspectional Services Plumbing Division prior to Commencement of any Plumbing work. Additionally a final approval from the plumbing inspector is required before a reinspection may be scheduled
• ⚠️Floors Walls and Ceilings-Cleanability (C) • Ceiling in the kitchen area leading into the dinning area observed with heavy grease build up. Clean to remove
  Floors Walls and Ceilings-Cleanability (C) • Ceiling in the kitchen area leading into the dinning area observed with heavy grease build up. Clean to remove
• ⚠️Handwashing Cleanser Availability (Pf) • Kitchen main handsink/ prep area handsink observed without hand cleanser. Provide & maintain. PIC to monitor handwashing
  Handwashing Cleanser Availability (Pf) • Kitchen main handsink/ prep area handsink observed without hand cleanser. Provide & maintain. PIC to monitor handwashing
• ⚠️Handwashing Signage (C) • Multiple handwashing sink observed missing signage (hand washing only/ employee must wash hands). Provide to encourage handwashing at the designated handsink.
  Handwashing Signage (C) • Multiple handwashing sink observed missing signage (hand washing only/ employee must wash hands). Provide to encourage handwashing at the designated handsink.
• ⚠️Mechanical-Ventilation (C) • Small fryolator observed not under a hood. Install hood/ discontinue . Fire department was on site
  Mechanical-Ventilation (C) • Small fryolator observed not under a hood. Install hood/ discontinue . Fire department was on site
• ⚠️Controlling Pests (C) • Old mice dropping observed downstairs in the storage room. Clean to remove
  Controlling Pests (C) • Old mice dropping observed downstairs in the storage room. Clean to remove

When was Ben Cotto last inspected?

Ben Cotto has 29 inspections on record going back to May 22, 2017. The 12 most recent are shown below.

Ben Cotto vs North End

North End runs 88% clean across 717 tracked restaurants — 579 clean, 37 mid, 40 cooked.

Against the 717 spots Cooked tracks in North End, this one comes out cleaner than 0% of them.

Other spots in North End

• ✓ Flat Black Coffee
  clean · October 25, 2018
• ✓ Nella Pasta
  clean · March 6, 2018
• ✓ Swissbakers
  clean · August 6, 2019
• ✓ Bon Me
  clean · February 20, 2026
• ✓ State Street Provisions
  clean · June 15, 2026
• ✕ Villas Market
  cooked · February 12, 2024

See every restaurant inspection in North End →

How Boston grades restaurants

Boston reports inspections as a pass or a fail, with no score and no letter. What separates a bad fail from a trivial one is the violation severity ladder: a single star is a minor issue, two stars is more serious, and three stars marks a critical foodborne-illness risk factor — temperature abuse, bad handwashing, cross-contamination. A restaurant can fail on paperwork alone, which is not the same as failing on food safety. Cooked splits Boston fails accordingly: a fail with a three-star violation reads cooked, a fail on minor items only reads mid.

Source: Boston Inspectional Services, Health Division via Analyze Boston. Cooked refreshes this data daily — this listing's most recent inspection is dated July 23, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.