EL MERCADITO 2
423 CLINTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550 · Restaurant (Food Service Establishment)
Inspection summary
EL MERCADITO 2 has been inspected 5 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since January 24, 2022. The most recent inspection, on November 18, 2025, recorded 1 infraction.
None of the 5 inspections on record were free of infractions. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 5 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Food temperature control and Cleaning and sanitizing.
Recent inspections have recorded fewer infractions than earlier ones, so the record is improving.
What these findings mean
Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.
Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk
This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.
Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on November 3, 2025. For example:
Food from unapproved source, spoiled, adulterated on premises.
Food temperature controlHigher risk
Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.
Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on November 3, 2025. For example:
Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk
Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.
Recorded once on November 3, 2025. For example:
Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
PestsHigher risk
Signs of mice, rats, cockroaches or flies, or gaps and clutter that let them get in or hide. Pests carry bacteria and can contaminate food and surfaces, so evidence of activity is treated seriously and usually triggers a follow-up visit.
Recorded once on January 24, 2022. For example:
Insects, rodents present
Food safety training and certificationLower risk
Most jurisdictions require a certified food handler or manager on site, and some require allergen or food-worker training. These findings mean the paperwork or the trained person was missing at the time. They do not by themselves mean food was handled unsafely.
Recorded 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on November 18, 2025. For example:
Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
About this data
These results come from New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.
5 inspections
- Re-Inspection
1 infraction
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Not Critical Violation
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Inspection
4 infractions
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Not Critical Violation
- 1H: Food from unapproved source, spoiled, adulterated on premises.
- Critical Violation
- 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- Not Critical Violation
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Not Critical Violation
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Re-Inspection
1 infraction
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Not Critical Violation
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Inspection
5 infractions
- 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
- Not Critical Violation
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Not Critical Violation
- 2E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate potentially hazardous food temperatures during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
- Critical Violation
- 15B: Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
- Not Critical Violation
- 12C: Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Not Critical Violation
- 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
- Inspection
5 infractions
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
- Not Critical Violation
- 10B: Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Not Critical Violation
- 9D: Dressing rooms dirty, not provided, improperly located
- Not Critical Violation
- 15B: Lighting and ventilation inadequate, fixtures not shielded, dirty ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, exhaust fans
- Not Critical Violation
- 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
- Critical Violation
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
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