Queens, NY — Gold 'N Honey, a donut shop located at 25-03 Ditmars Boulevard in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, received a score of 40 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on February 17, 2026. The score places the establishment in Grade C territory, a significant decline from the Grade A rating it held during its previous cycle inspection.
Gold 'N Honey restaurant inspection" width="400" height="225" loading="eager" decoding="async" class="article-featured-image">The inspection data was released by DOHMH on February 19, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the inspection, DOHMH inspectors identified one critical violation at the establishment:
Food, supplies, or equipment were found not protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. The citation also noted that condiments were not kept in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
This violation falls under DOHMH violation code 06C and is classified as a critical violation, meaning it represents a condition that could directly contribute to foodborne illness or food contamination if not corrected.
No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.
Food Safety Context
Proper protection of food, supplies, and equipment from contamination sources is a fundamental requirement under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food service establishments across the five boroughs. The FDA Food Code similarly identifies the protection of food from environmental contamination as a critical control point in food safety operations.
Contamination risks can include exposure to chemicals, unclean surfaces, pests, or cross-contact with allergens and other food products. The requirement that condiments be dispensed from single-service containers or directly by the vendor is designed to prevent customer-to-customer cross-contamination, particularly relevant in self-service or counter-service settings common to donut shops and similar establishments.
A score of 40 points on a DOHMH inspection reflects the cumulative point value assigned to all violations documented during the visit. Each violation carries a predetermined point value based on its severity and public health significance. Critical violations carry higher point values than general (non-critical) violations. In this case, the single critical violation and its associated conditions accounted for the entirety of the 40-point score.
Inspection History
A review of Gold 'N Honey's publicly available inspection records shows the following history:
- December 3, 2024: Score of 13, Grade A
- May 24, 2024: Score of 31, no grade posted
- December 6, 2022: Score of 12, Grade A
The establishment had maintained Grade A status in its two most recent graded inspections prior to the February 2026 visit. The May 2024 inspection, which resulted in a score of 31, did not have a grade posted in the public record, which may indicate it was an initial inspection within a new inspection cycle, with the restaurant potentially proceeding to a re-inspection or adjudication before a final grade was assigned.
The February 2026 score of 40 represents the highest point total recorded for the establishment in the available inspection history.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points recorded during an inspection:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection or choose to have their case heard at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH). During this process, restaurants may display a "Grade Pending" card rather than the letter grade.
It is important to note that inspection scores represent conditions observed at a specific point in time and do not necessarily reflect the establishment's current operating conditions. Restaurants routinely address cited violations following an inspection.
Consumers can look up inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online. Gold 'N Honey's complete inspection history and any subsequent re-inspection results can be accessed through this public resource.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Gold 'N Honey including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.