Staten Island, NY — Duchess Cookies, located at 2655 Richmond Avenue, received a Grade C score of 34 during a health inspection conducted on February 21, 2026. The score places the establishment well above the 28-point threshold for the city's lowest restaurant grade, with inspectors citing deficiencies in dishwashing and ware washing practices.
The inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on February 23, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the February 21 inspection, DOHMH inspectors identified one non-critical violation at the Richmond Avenue location. The violation, recorded under code 10G, cited deficiencies in dishwashing and ware washing procedures, specifically noting that the cleaning and sanitizing of tableware — including dishes, utensils, and equipment — was deficient.
While the violation was classified as non-critical rather than critical, the overall inspection score of 34 points resulted in a Grade C designation. The point total indicates that the cumulative weight of the documented conditions was significant enough to exceed both the Grade A threshold of 0 to 13 points and the Grade B range of 14 to 27 points.
It should be noted that the inspection report lists zero critical violations and one non-critical violation. The score of 34 reflects the DOHMH point-based scoring system, where individual violation codes carry assigned point values that contribute to the overall total. The action taken by DOHMH was to cite the violations found during the inspection.
Food Safety Context
Proper dishwashing and sanitization of food-contact surfaces is a foundational requirement under both NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code. These regulations require that all utensils, dishes, and food preparation equipment be cleaned and sanitized using approved methods to prevent the potential transmission of foodborne illness.
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes specific standards for food service establishments operating within the five boroughs, including requirements for the maintenance and operation of ware washing equipment. The FDA Food Code, which serves as a model for local jurisdictions, outlines acceptable methods for manual and mechanical dishwashing, including proper water temperatures, sanitizer concentrations, and cleaning procedures.
Ware washing deficiencies can involve a range of conditions, from improper water temperature in dishwashing machines to insufficient sanitizer concentration in manual wash setups, or the use of damaged or improperly maintained equipment. The specific nature of the deficiency observed at Duchess Cookies was documented in the inspector's report under the general code 10G designation.
Inspection History
This inspection represents the first publicly available inspection record for Duchess Cookies at the 2655 Richmond Avenue location in the DOHMH database. No prior inspection history is available for this establishment, which may indicate that the business is relatively new or that earlier records predate the current public dataset.
Without prior inspection data for comparison, there is no baseline to assess whether the conditions found during the February 21 inspection represent an ongoing pattern or an isolated occurrence. Future inspections will provide additional context for evaluating the establishment's compliance trajectory.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points recorded during an inspection. The grading scale is as follows:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection have the option to request a re-inspection, during which a new score may be assigned. Restaurants are required to post their current grade card in a location visible to the public.
Duchess Cookies' score of 34 falls into the Grade C category. The establishment may undergo a subsequent re-inspection, the results of which would be reflected in updated DOHMH records.
Consumers can look up inspection results for any restaurant in New York City through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, which is publicly accessible online. The database provides current and historical inspection scores, violation details, and grade information for all inspected food service establishments across the five boroughs.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Duchess Cookies including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.