Queens, NY — Melting Pot Cuisine, a Caribbean restaurant located at 36-01 Vernon Boulevard in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted May 18, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 92, placing the establishment in Grade C range under the city's restaurant grading system. Inspection data was released by DOHMH on May 21, 2026.

The closure action indicates that at least one violation requiring immediate correction was identified at the time of inspection and addressed on-site, as noted in the DOHMH action record. The establishment may apply for a reinspection once corrective measures have been completed and verified.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one non-critical violation during the May 18 inspection:

  • Code 10G: Dishwashing and ware washing — cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment, found to be deficient.

This violation relates to the proper cleaning and sanitizing of items that come into direct contact with food and diners. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and the FDA Food Code, food service establishments are required to maintain ware washing equipment in proper working condition and follow established procedures for sanitizing tableware to prevent cross-contamination and the potential transmission of foodborne illness.

No critical violations were cited during this inspection. The score of 92 reflects the point weight assigned to the identified violation under the DOHMH scoring methodology.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the standards governing food handling, equipment sanitation, and facility conditions in licensed food service establishments. The FDA Food Code, which New York City's regulations are modeled on, specifies that all food contact surfaces — including dishware, utensils, and food preparation equipment — must be cleaned and sanitized at required frequencies and using approved methods.

Effective ware washing is considered a foundational element of food safety operations. Equipment that is not functioning properly or procedures that are not followed consistently can result in inadequately sanitized surfaces that come into contact with food served to customers. The DOHMH requires that deficiencies in this area be corrected prior to a facility resuming normal operations following a closure order.

The DOHMH conducts unannounced inspections of all permitted food service establishments in New York City. Inspectors are trained to assess compliance across dozens of code categories, and violations are assigned point values based on their assessed risk to public health.

Inspection History

The May 18, 2026 inspection is not the first time Melting Pot Cuisine has received an elevated score. The restaurant's DOHMH inspection record shows a recurring pattern of scores in the Grade B and Grade C range:

  • May 18, 2026: Score 92, Grade C, closed by DOHMH
  • Aug 16, 2025: Score 0
  • Dec 6, 2024: Score 25, Grade B
  • Sep 29, 2024: Score 0
  • May 21, 2024: Score 29
  • Nov 28, 2022: Score 30, Grade C

Scores of 0 in the record typically reflect compliance inspections or re-inspections in which no violations were cited. The restaurant received a Grade B in December 2024 and had previously scored in Grade C range in both May 2024 and November 2022. The current score of 92 represents the highest recorded score in the restaurant's available inspection history.

Under the DOHMH grading cycle, an establishment that is closed or receives a score that warrants a Grade C on an initial inspection is subject to a reinspection. If the restaurant scores in Grade A range on that follow-up visit, it may post a Grade A card; otherwise, it receives the grade corresponding to the lower of the two scores.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter grading system is based on the number of points accumulated during a DOHMH inspection. Points are assigned per violation, with higher-risk violations carrying greater point values. The grade thresholds are:

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

A score of 92 falls substantially above the Grade C threshold. Restaurants must post their most recent grade card — or a Grade Pending card if they are awaiting a reinspection score — in a location visible to the public.

Consumers can look up the full inspection history of any permitted food service establishment in New York City through the DOHMH's online restaurant inspection results database. Records include inspection dates, scores, grades, violation details, and any closure or enforcement actions taken. NYCRestaurantInspections.com also aggregates this public data for local reference.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Melting Pot Cuisine including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.