Tripoli / Swallow Cafe

Name: Tripoli / Swallow Cafe
Address: 156 Atlantic Avenue, NYC, NY, 11201, US
Telephone: (718) 596-5800

156 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Mediterranean Carroll Gardens-Columbia Street-Red Hook (718) 596-5800

Grade A · as of Sep 4, 2026

Tripoli / Swallow Cafe was last inspected on September 4, 2026 and scored 7 points (A range). Inspectors found 2 violations, 1 of them critical.

Latest inspection

September 4, 2026 · Cycle Inspection · Re-inspection

Score: 7 points (A range)

1 critical1 general

CriticalHygiene & sanitation

Workers’ personal hygiene was inadequate (dirty clothing, no hair restraint, jewelry).

Official wording (code 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.
GeneralFacility upkeep

Toilet room was not maintained, stocked, or self-closing.

Official wording (code 10A)
Toilet facility not maintained or provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle or self-closing door.

Inspection scores over time. Lower is better: 0–13 is an A, 14–27 a B, 28 or more a C.

Inspection history

3 inspections on record

Apr 28, 2026 38 38 points (C range)

Cycle Inspection · Initial Inspection

Scored in the C range on an initial inspection, so no grade is given yet. A re-inspection follows.
3 critical4 general Show violations
- CriticalPests
  
  Mice, or signs of mice, were found.
  
  Official wording (code 04L)
  Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
- CriticalHygiene & sanitation
  
  Surfaces that touch food weren’t properly washed and sanitized.
  
  Official wording (code 06D)
  Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- CriticalFacility
  
  A hand-washing sink was missing, blocked, or not stocked with soap and towels.
  
  Official wording (code 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.
- GeneralFacility upkeep
  
  Non-food surfaces or equipment were dirty, damaged, or made of unsuitable material.
  
  Official wording (code 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.
- GeneralFood handling
  
  Food-contact surfaces were in poor repair.
  
  Official wording (code 09C)
  Design, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. Surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.
- GeneralFacility upkeep
  
  Plumbing was missing protection against backflow, or floors didn’t drain properly.
  
  Official wording (code 10B)
  Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of.
- GeneralPests
  
  The building wasn’t pest-proofed: gaps, holes, or clutter that let rodents or insects in or give them shelter.
  
  Official wording (code 08A)
  Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
Jul 30, 2024 A 5 points (A range)

Cycle Inspection · Initial Inspection
1 critical Show violations
- CriticalHygiene & sanitation
  
  Surfaces that touch food weren’t properly washed and sanitized.
  
  Official wording (code 06D)
  Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

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How NYC grades restaurants

Inspectors add points for each violation. Lower is better.
0–13 points earns an A. 14–27 is a B. 28 or more is a C.
A restaurant that scores 14 or more on its first inspection gets no grade yet. It is re-inspected about a month later and can display “Grade Pending” in the meantime.

Severity levels

Critical Can directly make someone sick: food temperatures, contamination, pests, hand-washing.
General Cleanliness, maintenance and facility problems.
Paperwork Missing signs, permits or paperwork.

More in Carroll Gardens-Columbia Street-Red Hook

Source: NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) open data, refreshed hourly. Last inspection 2 months ago. Always confirm with the official record.