Queens, NY — Rosalia's Pizzeria, located at 103-15 Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills, received a score of 36 during a health inspection conducted on February 17, 2026, placing the restaurant in Grade C territory. The inspection identified a critical violation related to the establishment's sewage disposal system, marking a significant departure from the pizzeria's previously clean inspection record.
Rosalia's Pizzeria restaurant inspection" width="400" height="225" loading="eager" decoding="async" class="article-featured-image">The inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on February 19, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the February 17 inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented one critical violation at the Queens Boulevard pizzeria:
A sewage disposal system that was cited as not provided, improper, inadequate, or unapproved (Violation Code 05A). This type of violation relates to the fundamental infrastructure required to safely remove wastewater and sewage from a food service establishment. A functioning sewage disposal system is essential to preventing contamination of food preparation areas, maintaining sanitary conditions, and protecting public health.
No non-critical violations were recorded during the inspection. The single critical violation alone was sufficient to generate a score of 36, well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C designation.
The action recorded by DOHMH indicated that violations were cited in the relevant area, and the restaurant was not closed as a result of the inspection.
Food Safety Context
Sewage disposal requirements for New York City food service establishments are governed by NYC Health Code Article 81, which sets standards for the sanitary operation of food establishments. Proper sewage disposal is also addressed under the FDA Food Code, which serves as the model framework for food safety regulations nationwide.
A compromised or inadequate sewage disposal system in a food service setting poses potential risks including cross-contamination of food contact surfaces, exposure to harmful pathogens, and unsanitary conditions in food preparation and storage areas. Violation Code 05A is classified as a critical violation because of the direct relationship between sewage infrastructure and food safety.
Critical violations are those that DOHMH identifies as most likely to contribute to foodborne illness or conditions that pose an immediate health risk. Each critical violation carries a higher point value in the city's scoring system, which explains how a single violation resulted in a score of 36.
Inspection History
The February 2026 result represents a notable shift for Rosalia's Pizzeria, which had maintained Grade A scores across its recent inspection history:
- August 20, 2025: Score of 13 (Grade A)
- December 26, 2023: Score of 7 (Grade A)
The restaurant's previous two inspections both fell within the Grade A range of 0 to 13 points. The December 2023 inspection, with a score of just 7, indicated very few issues identified at that time. The August 2025 inspection scored 13, which sits at the upper boundary of Grade A but still reflected general compliance with health regulations.
The jump from 13 to 36 points between the August 2025 and February 2026 inspections represents the type of score change that typically results from the identification of a significant infrastructure or operational issue rather than an accumulation of minor violations.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points recorded during an inspection:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection have the option to request a re-inspection. During the period between the initial inspection and the re-inspection or adjudication, restaurants may display a "Grade Pending" card rather than the letter grade.
A Grade C score does not automatically result in closure. Closure actions are reserved for conditions that DOHMH determines pose an imminent health hazard. In this case, the restaurant was cited for violations but was not closed.
Consumers can look up the full inspection history of any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, which is updated regularly as new inspection data becomes available. The database is accessible through the NYC Open Data portal and provides complete records of violations, scores, and grades for all inspected establishments.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Rosalia's Pizzeria including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.