Queens, NY — Zyara, a Middle Eastern restaurant located at 25-53 Steinway Street in Astoria, Queens, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on July 23, 2026. Inspectors assigned the restaurant a score of 54, which falls in the C range under the city's grading system. The closure was ordered after two critical violations were identified. According to DOHMH, violations requiring immediate action were addressed on-site before the inspection was concluded.

The data was released publicly by DOHMH on July 29, 2026, six days after the inspection took place.

What Inspectors Found

During the July 23 inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented two critical violations, both related to core food safety practices.

The first violation, cited under Code 06C, involved food, supplies, or equipment not being adequately protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. Specifically, inspectors noted that condiments were not stored in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. This type of violation is considered critical because improperly protected condiments can be exposed to cross-contamination from multiple customers or environmental sources.

The second violation, cited under Code 06A, involved inadequate personal cleanliness among food service workers. Inspectors documented that outer garments were soiled with a possible contaminant, that effective hair restraints were not worn where required, that jewelry was worn on hands or arms, and that fingernails were not kept clean and trimmed. Personal hygiene failures are classified as critical violations because they represent a direct pathway for biological contamination of food.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

New York City's restaurant inspection program is administered under NYC Health Code Article 81, which establishes minimum standards for food handling, storage, employee hygiene, and facility sanitation. The program operates on a points-based system in which more serious violations carry higher point values. A score of 54 significantly exceeds the threshold for a C grade.

The FDA Food Code, which informs many of the standards applied under Article 81, identifies improper personal hygiene and inadequate food protection as two of the leading contributing factors to foodborne illness outbreaks in retail food establishments. Inspectors are required to order the closure of any establishment where violations pose an immediate public health hazard and cannot be corrected during the inspection.

In this case, DOHMH indicated that violations requiring immediate action were addressed before the inspection was completed, which is a standard part of the closure and correction process. Restaurants that are closed by DOHMH may reopen after a follow-up inspection confirms that conditions have been corrected to the department's satisfaction.

Inspection History

Zyara's inspection record prior to the July 2026 closure reflects a mixed history. The restaurant had achieved a Grade A as recently as February 2025, indicating that it has demonstrated the ability to meet compliance standards in prior cycles.

  • 2025-02-07: Score 9, Grade A
  • 2024-07-31: Score 26
  • 2022-12-23: Score 15, Grade B
  • 2022-04-12: Score 21

The most recent prior inspection in February 2025 resulted in a score of 9, which is among the lower scores possible and consistent with a well-run food service operation at that time. The jump to a score of 54 in July 2026 represents a significant change from that baseline. The 2024 score of 26 did not result in a letter grade being issued under that inspection cycle's parameters.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City requires most restaurants to post their current inspection grade in a front window where it is visible to the public. Grades are issued based on the score assigned during an unannounced DOHMH inspection:

  • A grade is awarded for scores of 0 to 13 points
  • B grade is awarded for scores of 14 to 27 points
  • C grade is awarded for scores of 28 points or higher

When a restaurant is closed by DOHMH, a grade card is not posted until a follow-up inspection is conducted and the establishment is permitted to reopen. At that time, the restaurant may receive a grade based on its re-inspection score, or it may request an administrative hearing to contest violations before a grade is finalized.

Inspection records for all New York City restaurants are available to the public through the DOHMH restaurant inspection lookup tool on the NYC Open Data portal. Consumers can use that resource to review full violation details, historical scores, and current grade status for any permitted food service establishment in the five boroughs.

More About This Restaurant

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