Queens, NY — Woodside Rainbow Bakery, located at 39-61 61st Street in Woodside, received a score of 29 following a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene inspection conducted on April 3, 2026, placing the establishment in Grade C territory. The inspection data was released by the agency on April 7, 2026.

A score of 29 triggers a Grade C designation under the city's restaurant grading system, indicating that inspectors identified violations serious enough to warrant significant concern under NYC Health Code Article 81.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation and one non-critical violation during the April visit.

The critical violation, cited under Code 04H, recorded that raw, cooked, or prepared food was adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with the establishment's HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plan. This type of violation is classified as critical because it poses a direct risk of foodborne illness to consumers.

The non-critical violation, cited under Code 10F, noted that a non-food contact surface or piece of equipment was made of unacceptable material, was not kept clean, or was not properly sealed, raised, spaced, or movable to allow adequate cleaning on all sides, above, and underneath.

Food Safety Context

Critical violations such as Code 04H are treated with particular weight under the city's inspection scoring system because they relate directly to conditions that can cause foodborne illness. Under FDA Food Code standards and NYC Health Code Article 81, facilities that handle food are required to maintain and follow a HACCP plan that identifies potential hazards and establishes controls to prevent contamination at each stage of food preparation, storage, and service.

Cross-contamination, specifically, can occur when pathogens from raw proteins, soiled surfaces, or improperly handled food come into contact with ready-to-eat products. In a bakery setting, where products may be consumed without further cooking, controlling contamination at every point in the process is particularly important.

Non-critical violations, such as the equipment maintenance issue identified under Code 10F, do not carry the same immediate public health risk but can create conditions that make it harder to maintain sanitary standards over time.

Inspection History

Prior to the April 2026 inspection, Woodside Rainbow Bakery had maintained a consistent record of Grade A scores across multiple inspection cycles:

  • May 1, 2026: Score 6 (Grade A)
  • March 18, 2025: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • January 12, 2024: Score 8 (Grade A)
  • November 15, 2022: Score 5 (Grade A)
  • April 1, 2022: Score 14

The April 2022 score of 14 falls in Grade B range, but all subsequent inspections through early 2026 returned Grade A results. The May 1, 2026 inspection — which occurred after the April 3 inspection that generated the Grade C — resulted in a score of 6, a Grade A. That more recent result suggests the establishment may have addressed the cited conditions. The May score would govern the grade currently posted at the restaurant under standard DOHMH grading procedures.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

The New York City restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on the number of points accumulated during a DOHMH inspection. Points are assigned for each violation found, with critical violations carrying more weight than non-critical ones:

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

Restaurants that do not receive an A on an initial inspection are typically re-inspected within a month. The grade posted in the restaurant window reflects the most recent completed inspection cycle.

Inspection records for all New York City food service establishments are available to the public through the DOHMH online restaurant search tool at nyc.gov/health. Consumers can view full violation details, historical scores, and current grade status for any licensed food service establishment in the five boroughs.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Woodside Rainbow Bakery including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.