Queens, NY — Pio Pio To Go, a Latin American restaurant at 84-21 Northern Boulevard in Jackson Heights, received a Grade B following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on March 25, 2026. The restaurant scored 25 points, placing it near the upper boundary of the B range and within three points of the Grade C threshold. The data was released by DOHMH on April 9, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented three violations during the visit — two critical and one non-critical.
Both critical violations were cited under Code 06B, which addresses tobacco or electronic cigarette use, eating, or drinking from an open container in food preparation, food storage, or dishwashing areas. The repeated citation of this same code in a single inspection indicates inspectors identified the conduct in more than one context or instance during the visit.
The non-critical violation was cited under Code 19-10, related to failure to display required signage about plastic straw availability. While this violation carries lower weight in scoring, it contributed to the overall point total.
Food Safety Context
Code 06B violations are considered critical because eating, drinking, and tobacco use in food handling areas can introduce contaminants — including saliva, ash, and residue — into food preparation environments. NYC Health Code Article 81 prohibits these behaviors to reduce the risk of food contamination from personnel. The FDA Food Code similarly identifies improper employee conduct as a contributing factor in foodborne illness outbreaks.
A score of 25 carries particular significance within the Grade B range of 14 to 27 points. Restaurants scoring at this level are just above the cutoff where a Grade C would be issued, meaning any additional violations identified during a re-inspection could result in a lower grade.
Inspection History
Pio Pio To Go has a varied inspection record over the past several years:
- January 15, 2025: Score 11 — Grade A
- March 5, 2024: Score 35 — Grade C
- March 27, 2023: Score 19 — Grade B range
The restaurant had achieved a Grade A as recently as January 2025, indicating that sanitary conditions have fluctuated. The 2024 Grade C — scored at 35 points — represents the prior low point in the restaurant's recent record. The current score of 25 falls between those two results.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system is based on the total number of points assessed during an inspection:
- A: 0–13 points — Satisfactory sanitary conditions
- B: 14–27 points — Some violations present; re-inspection required
- C: 28 or more points — Significant violations identified
Restaurants that receive a B or C at the initial inspection are subject to an unannounced re-inspection. The grade posted in the window reflects either the initial inspection result or the re-inspection result, whichever is more favorable.
Inspection records for all NYC restaurants are available through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov/health. Consumers can search by restaurant name, address, or cuisine type to review current and historical inspection data.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Pio Pio To Go including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.