Queens, NY — Cano Coffee Company, located at 44-16 Broadway in Astoria, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on July 24, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 79, placing the establishment firmly in the C grade range. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on July 28, 2026.

The closure comes after inspectors documented two critical violations and two non-critical violations at the coffee and tea shop.

What Inspectors Found

The July 24 inspection identified four violations across food safety and pest management categories.

Among the critical findings, inspectors cited the establishment under Code 06C for failure to protect food, supplies, or equipment from potential sources of contamination. Specifically, condiments were found not stored in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor — a requirement designed to prevent cross-contamination between customers.

The second critical violation, cited under Code 04N, documented the presence of filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated flies in the establishment's food and non-food areas. This category covers house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies, and fruit flies. Fly presence in a food service environment is treated as a critical violation because flies can transfer pathogens to food contact surfaces and exposed food products.

On the non-critical side, inspectors noted a violation under Code 18-14, indicating that a DOHMH order or notice required to be posted on the premises was found mutilated, obstructed, or removed. A second non-critical violation under Code 28-06 found that the establishment did not have a current contract with a licensed pest management professional and did not maintain records of extermination activities on premises — a requirement under city health regulations.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the food safety standards that all city restaurants are required to meet. Under these rules, establishments must maintain active pest management programs and keep documentation of extermination activity on site. The FDA Food Code, which the city's standards are based on, classifies active pest infestation and inadequate food protection as priority violations because of their direct link to foodborne illness risk.

The combination of an active fly presence alongside the absence of a pest control contract and extermination records indicates a gap in the establishment's ongoing pest management program. Fly infestations in food service settings can result in contamination of food preparation surfaces and ready-to-eat items.

DOHMH inspectors are authorized to order a restaurant closed when conditions present an imminent public health hazard. A closure requires the establishment to correct identified conditions before reopening, at which point DOHMH conducts a reinspection to confirm compliance.

Inspection History

The July 2026 inspection is not Cano Coffee Company's first encounter with significant scores. The establishment's recent inspection history shows a volatile record:

  • 2025-03-06: Score 7 (Grade A)
  • 2024-11-20: Score 58 (Grade C)
  • 2024-07-12: Score 23
  • 2023-05-18: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • 2023-04-10: Score 65
  • 2023-04-04: Score 38
  • 2023-03-28: Score 43

The pattern shows the restaurant achieved a Grade A result as recently as March 2025, indicating conditions can vary substantially between inspection cycles. However, the establishment also recorded scores of 65, 58, and now 79 at various points, suggesting recurring difficulty maintaining consistent compliance.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter grade system is based on points assessed during unannounced DOHMH inspections. More points indicate more or more serious violations. The grading scale is as follows:

  • A: Score of 0 to 13 points
  • B: Score of 14 to 27 points
  • C: Score of 28 points or more

A score of 79 is more than six times the upper threshold for an A grade. Restaurants that are closed during an inspection do not receive a letter grade until they pass a reinspection.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov. Consumers can look up any establishment's full inspection history, violation details, and current grade status.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Cano Coffee Company including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.