A trendy Brooklyn cafe was shut down by the city after dozens of violations for gross conditions, but it kept its doors open anyway – and even told customers it was temporarily closed for “spring cleaning.”
Little Zelda in Crown Heights received 27 violations during a February city inspection, including citations for evidence of rats and operating without a permit, according to the Department of Health.
The cafe on Franklin Avenue has been caught removing notices of closure five times since the inspection and continuing to operate without a permit, the department said.
Little Zelda was also slapped with violations for not properly washing and sanitizing food contact surfaces and not being free of “harborage or conditions conducive to” rodents, insects or other pests.
They were also knocked for not displaying their “grade pending” sign out front, according to the DOH.
The cramped, tile-floored, rustic cafe, which serves coffee, cookies, and other pastries, remained open when The Post visited this week.
A longtime Crown Heights resident noticed about two months ago that Little Zelda had replaced a closure notice — documented in the Crown Heights Reddit group — with a handwritten note that claimed the cafe was only closed temporarily for “some spring cleaning.”
“I walk outside every morning for coffee, and I was surprised to see the place had shut down one morning, and even more surprised to see it was over health issues,” said the resident, who asked to be identified only as Peter.
“Then there was a really pretty cursive handwritten sign saying, you know, we’re taking a break and moving some stuff around… it didn’t refer to any issues or closures,” Peter added. “So that was kind of funny to me that they like put up this really, kind of cutesy note, which seemed to be covering up the real reason for the closure.”
The shop still attracts several regulars, and even lines out the door, according to several neighboring businesses.
“Every time it’s open, there are people in there, and I don’t know if they’re oblivious or they’re diehards or they don’t care about the ongoing health issues,” Peter said.
“I do hear at other cafes, baristas talking about like refugees from Little Zelda because the place definitely had regulars… even though it’s tiny, you know, it’s got a special feel inside the place, you know, it doesn’t feel like your average like corporate or chain cafe,” he added.
A previous inspection from September 2023 showed Little Zelda was issued 41 violations. Those included citations for raw, cooked, or prepared food being contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded properly, according to the city.
It was also found to not have a hand washing facility in or adjacent to the toilet within 25 feet of where food was prepped, according to the DOH.
Serial businessman Michael De Zayas has been listed as a founder and owner of Little Zelda since September 2011.
He has kickstarted several other Brooklyn businesses, such as the wine bar and book cafe Word of Mouth, Octavia Coffee, Nagle’s Bagels, and Arise Yoga, according to his LinkedIn.
De Zayas has not responded to multiple requests for comment. Representatives at the store refused to speak with The Post.
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