Brooklyn, NY — John's Donut & Coffee Shop, located at 481 Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, received a score of 23 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on March 25, 2026. That score places the establishment in the Grade B range, though it sits near the upper boundary of that tier, five points below the threshold at which a Grade C is assigned. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on March 27, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection resulted in one critical violation and no non-critical violations. The single citation was issued under Code 06C, which covers the protection of food, supplies, and equipment from potential contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, and service.

Specifically, inspectors documented that condiments were not provided in single-service containers and were not dispensed directly by the vendor. Under DOHMH guidelines, this type of handling creates a pathway for cross-contamination, as shared or refillable condiment containers can introduce pathogens if not properly managed between customers.

A score of 23 reflects meaningful accumulated risk across the inspection criteria. While Grade B establishments are permitted to remain open, a score in the upper range of that tier indicates a greater number or severity of violations than a lower Grade B result would reflect.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 requires food service establishments to maintain safe food handling practices throughout all stages of service. The FDA Food Code, which informs local health codes nationally, identifies improper condiment handling as a contributing factor in foodborne illness outbreaks, particularly in environments where shared surfaces and containers come into contact with multiple customers.

Code 06C violations are classified as critical because the conditions they identify have a direct potential to result in food contamination. DOHMH inspection methodology assigns point values based on the likelihood and severity of harm associated with each violation type, which is why a single critical item can produce a substantial score.

Inspection History

The March 2026 inspection is part of a mixed compliance record at this location:

  • May 5, 2026: Score 56, closed by DOHMH
  • March 25, 2026: Score 23 (Grade B)
  • May 1, 2025: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • March 18, 2025: Score 30
  • August 13, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
  • May 7, 2024: Score 57
  • December 16, 2022: Score 12 (Grade A)

The record reflects variability, with Grade A results in 2022, 2024, and 2025 alongside scores in the 50s that triggered closures in 2024 and again in May 2026. Consumers should note that the May 2026 closure occurred after the inspection covered in this article.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades based on the score an establishment receives during inspection:

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

Grades are required to be posted prominently at the establishment's entrance. A score of 23 falls in the upper portion of the Grade B band. Establishments that score above 13 on an initial inspection are re-inspected, and the lower score from the two visits is used to determine the posted grade.

Consumers can review current inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database, available at the NYC Open Data portal.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for John's Donut & Coffee Shop including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.