Mela Pica Pollo

• gradeGrade pending
• inspection score49 pts
• critical violations5
• last inspectedMay 6, 2026 →
• address1562 Saint Nicholas Avenue, Manhattan 10040
• cuisineSpanish
• phone9173836806

Is Mela Pica Pollo clean?

New York currently lists Mela Pica Pollo as grade pending, following an inspection on May 6, 2026 that scored 49 points. The city has not posted a letter yet, and it will not until a re-inspection settles it.

What did inspectors find at Mela Pica Pollo?

These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on May 6, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.

• 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to code
  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.
• 🍲hot food sitting too coolcritical
  Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
• 🚰handwashing sink issuescritical
  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.
• 📋no certified food supervisor on dutycritical
  Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.
• ⚠️“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.
• 🧫food contact surfaces dirty
  Design, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. Surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.
• ⚠️Failure to post or conspicuously post healthy eating information
• 🌡️fridge is giving… room tempcritical
  Cold TCS food item held above 41 °F; smoked or processed fish held above 38 °F; intact raw eggs held above 45 °F; or reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) TCS foods held above required temperatures except during active necessary preparation.
• 🍽️dishwashing setup off
  Single service article not provided. Single service article reused or not protected from contamination when transported, stored, dispensed. Drinking straws not completely enclosed in wrapper or dispensed from a sanitary device.
• 🧽surfaces not properly sanitizedcritical
  Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

When was Mela Pica Pollo last inspected?

Mela Pica Pollo has 2 inspections on record going back to August 15, 2024, averaging 28 points.

Mela Pica Pollo vs Washington Heights North

Washington Heights North runs 65% clean across 165 tracked restaurants — 93 clean, 10 mid, 39 cooked.

Against the 165 spots Cooked tracks in Washington Heights North, this one comes out cleaner than 0% of them.

Other spots in Washington Heights North

• A D' La Para Pica Pollo
  clean · April 21, 2026
• A Paleteria La Michoacanita
  clean · May 6, 2026
• B Anita's Cuisine
  mid · November 3, 2025
• A Kennedy Chicken & Grill
  clean · June 25, 2026
• ? Yulianna's Tavern
  not rated
• C El Cibao Restaurant
  cooked · July 14, 2026

See every restaurant inspection in Washington Heights North →

How New York grades restaurants

New York City health inspectors score violations in points, and lower is better: 0–13 points earns an A, 14–27 a B, and 28 or more a C. Every restaurant is inspected at least once a year, and the letter has to be posted in the window. A restaurant that scores 14 or more on the first inspection of a cycle does not get a letter right away — it stays “Grade Pending” until a re-inspection settles it, which is why some spots here show an hourglass instead of a letter. Cooked only ever shows a letter the city actually posted; we never infer one from a score.

Read the New York ratings guide →

Inspection findings and available history come from the authority’s published records. Cooked checks daily; publication can lag behind an inspection. Read the date on each result and check the official source for newer information.

Source: NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) via NYC Open Data. Cooked refreshes this data daily — this listing's most recent inspection is dated May 6, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.

check your own block 📸

Cooked covers 10 cities on official inspection data — see who's clean, mid, or cooked near you.