Queens, NY — Olmsted Cafeteria, located at 117-02 Roosevelt Avenue in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, received a score of 34 during a New York City health inspection conducted on March 18, 2026. The score places the restaurant in Grade C territory, the lowest passing grade in the city's restaurant grading system, after inspectors documented a critical food contact surface sanitation violation.
The inspection data was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 20, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the inspection, DOHMH inspectors cited Olmsted Cafeteria for one critical violation under code 06D: food contact surfaces were not properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Food contact surfaces include cutting boards, prep tables, utensils, and any equipment that comes into direct contact with food during preparation or service. When these surfaces are not adequately cleaned and sanitized between uses, there is a risk of bacterial cross-contamination between different food items, including the transfer of allergens or pathogens from raw to ready-to-eat foods.
No non-critical violations were documented during this inspection. The action taken by DOHMH was that violations were cited in the identified area.
Food Safety Context
Proper sanitation 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 surfaces that come into contact with food must be cleaned and sanitized between uses, particularly when switching between different food types or after any interruption in food preparation.
The FDA Food Code specifies that food contact surfaces must be washed, rinsed, and sanitized at several key points: between uses with different raw animal foods, between uses with raw and ready-to-eat foods, after any contamination event, and at minimum every four hours during continuous use. NYC Health Code Article 81 mirrors these requirements and empowers DOHMH inspectors to cite violations when standards are not met.
A critical violation is one that, according to DOHMH guidelines, is more likely to contribute directly to foodborne illness or food contamination. Critical violations carry higher point values in the city's scoring system, which is reflected in Olmsted Cafeteria's score of 34 from a single cited violation.
Inspection History
Olmsted Cafeteria's inspection record over the past several years shows a pattern of fluctuating scores:
- March 18, 2026: Score 34 (current inspection)
- February 4, 2026: Score 40
- November 7, 2024: Score 13 (Grade A)
- May 1, 2024: Score 36
- October 25, 2022: Score 11 (Grade A)
The restaurant has alternated between strong Grade A performances and elevated scores in the mid-to-high 30s and 40s. The two most recent inspections in 2026 have both resulted in scores well above the Grade C threshold of 28 points, following a Grade A result in November 2024. The February 2026 inspection resulted in a score of 40, and the current March 2026 inspection produced a score of 34.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points accumulated during an inspection. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations:
- Grade A: 0–13 points
- Grade B: 14–27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Olmsted Cafeteria's score of 34 falls within the Grade C range. Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection. The letter grade posted at the restaurant reflects the best score from the current inspection cycle.
All restaurant inspection results are public record and can be accessed through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database. Consumers can search for any restaurant's inspection history, violation details, and current grade at the city's official website or through the NYC 311 system.
Residents with questions about food safety standards or restaurant inspection results can contact the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene at 311 or visit nyc.gov/health for additional information.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Olmsted Cafeteria including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.