Brooklyn, NY — Gongcha, a coffee and tea shop located at 1414 Sheepshead Bay Road in Sheepshead Bay, received a score of 40 during a New York City health inspection conducted on February 20, 2026. The score places the establishment in Grade C territory, indicating 28 or more violation points were documented during the evaluation.
Inspectors identified one critical violation and two non-critical violations during the visit. The inspection data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on February 24, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
The most serious finding involved a critical violation for failure to protect food, supplies, or equipment from potential sources of contamination. Cited under violation code 06C, inspectors documented that items were not adequately safeguarded during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. The violation also noted issues with condiments not being provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
Under FDA Food Code guidelines, protecting food from contamination at every stage of handling is a fundamental requirement for food safety. Cross-contamination and exposure to environmental contaminants can introduce harmful bacteria and other pathogens that pose a direct risk to consumer health.
Inspectors also recorded two non-critical violations at the establishment. The first, cited under code 10E, noted that an accurate thermometer was not provided or properly located in refrigerated, cold storage, or hot holding equipment. Proper temperature monitoring is essential for ensuring that perishable items are stored within safe ranges — typically at or below 41°F for cold storage and at or above 140°F for hot holding.
The second non-critical violation, under code 10B, documented issues with anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention devices not being provided where required. The citation also noted that equipment or flooring was not properly drained, and that condensation or liquid waste was being improperly disposed of. Plumbing and drainage deficiencies can create conditions that compromise sanitary operations within a food service establishment.
Food Safety Context
NYC restaurant inspections are conducted by DOHMH under the authority of NYC Health Code Article 81, which establishes sanitary requirements for all food service establishments operating in the city. Inspectors evaluate restaurants across a range of categories including food handling, temperature control, personal hygiene, facility maintenance, and pest management.
Each violation is assigned a point value based on its severity, with critical violations carrying higher point values than non-critical ones. The total score reflects the cumulative points assessed during the inspection. A food contamination violation such as the one documented at Gongcha is classified as critical because of the direct potential for foodborne illness.
The FDA Food Code, which serves as the basis for many local food safety regulations, emphasizes that food must be protected from contamination by implementing proper storage practices, maintaining physical barriers, and using appropriate serving methods. Temperature monitoring — the subject of one of the non-critical violations — is also a core requirement under both federal guidelines and local health code provisions.
Inspection History
No prior inspection history is available for this establishment in the DOHMH public database. The February 20, 2026 inspection represents the first recorded evaluation on file. This may indicate that Gongcha is a relatively new establishment at this location, or that earlier records are not reflected in the current dataset.
- February 20, 2026: Score 40 (Grade C), violations cited
Following this initial inspection, the establishment may be subject to a re-inspection by DOHMH to determine whether the cited violations have been corrected. Restaurants that score in Grade C range during an initial cycle inspection will typically receive a re-inspection, and the final posted grade is based on the better score between the two visits.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on inspection scores:
- A: 0 to 13 points
- B: 14 to 27 points
- C: 28 or more points
A score of 40, as recorded at Gongcha, falls within the Grade C range. Restaurants are required to post their grade cards in a location visible to the public.
Consumers can look up inspection results for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH public database or by visiting the restaurant grades section of the NYC government website. These records provide transparency into the food safety conditions documented at establishments across the five boroughs.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Gongcha including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.