Queens, NY — Ruma's Kitchen, a Bangladeshi restaurant at 37-01 61st Street in Woodside, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following a January 5, 2026 inspection that resulted in a score of 104 points. The score is among the highest recorded for the establishment and falls well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C, the lowest letter grade issued by the city.
Ruma's Kitchen restaurant inspection" width="400" height="225" loading="eager" decoding="async" class="article-featured-image">The closure was the second time in approximately six months that DOHMH ordered the restaurant to cease operations due to health code violations. Inspectors documented two critical violations and one non-critical violation during the January inspection. The data was released publicly by DOHMH on January 7, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
The inspection identified significant gaps in food safety infrastructure and management at the establishment.
The first critical violation cited was the absence of a Food Protection Certificate (FPC) held by a manager or supervisor of food operations (violation code 04A). New York City requires that at least one supervisory staff member at every food service establishment hold a valid FPC, which demonstrates competency in safe food handling, temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and allergen awareness. The absence of a certified manager means that no one on duty had verified training in these essential food safety principles.
The second critical violation involved the lack of a compliant hand washing facility (violation code 05D). Inspectors documented that no hand washing station was available in or adjacent to the toilet room or within 25 feet of food preparation, food service, or ware washing areas. The citation further noted issues that may have included the facility not being accessible, being obstructed, being used for non-hand washing purposes, lacking hot and cold running water or adequate water pressure, or lacking soap or an acceptable hand-drying device. Proper hand washing is widely recognized as one of the most fundamental measures for preventing the spread of foodborne illness.
Additionally, inspectors cited one non-critical violation (code 28-01) for a nuisance condition at the facility. The establishment was found not to be free from unsafe, hazardous, offensive, or annoying conditions.
Food Safety Context
The violations documented at Ruma's Kitchen relate to foundational requirements under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food service establishments in the city. The requirement for a certified food protection manager aligns with FDA Food Code recommendations that at least one person in charge per shift demonstrate knowledge of foodborne disease prevention, proper cooking temperatures, and contamination risks.
Hand washing requirements are among the most strictly enforced provisions in food safety regulation. The FDA Food Code specifies that food employees must wash their hands before engaging in food preparation, after using the restroom, and after touching bare human body parts. The absence of an accessible, properly equipped hand washing station makes compliance with these fundamental requirements impossible.
A score of 104 points indicates that inspectors identified conditions they determined warranted immediate corrective action, resulting in the establishment's closure. Restaurants ordered closed by DOHMH must correct all cited violations and pass a re-inspection before they are permitted to resume operations.
Inspection History
Ruma's Kitchen has had a pattern of elevated inspection scores over the past several years. The establishment's recorded inspection history includes:
- July 31, 2025: Score of 2 (Grade Z — assigned during adjudication or re-inspection)
- July 2, 2025: Score of 75, closed by DOHMH
- May 29, 2025: Score not recorded in available data
- December 17, 2024: Score of 53 (Grade C)
- January 31, 2024: Score of 49
- November 15, 2022: Score of 23 (Grade B)
The January 2026 closure marks the second time within a 12-month period that the restaurant was ordered closed by health inspectors. The July 2025 closure resulted from an inspection with a score of 75, which was itself a significant score. The restaurant's only recorded passing grade was a B in November 2022, when it scored 23 points. Since that inspection, scores have consistently remained above the Grade C threshold of 28 points.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on the total violation points recorded during inspections. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations:
- A: 0 to 13 points — the highest grade, indicating minimal violations
- B: 14 to 27 points — moderate violations identified
- C: 28 or more points — significant violations found
Ruma's Kitchen's score of 104 points is nearly four times the minimum threshold for a Grade C. Restaurants that are closed must address all violations and pass a follow-up inspection before reopening to the public.
Consumers can look up the latest inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online. Inspection records, including violation details and scores, are public information and are updated as new data becomes available.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Ruma's Kitchen including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.