GREEN ELEPHANTS
507 NORTH FRANKLIN STREET, WATKINS GLEN, NY 14891 · Restaurant (Food Service Establishment)
Inspection summary
GREEN ELEPHANTS has been inspected 9 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since April 27, 2023. The most recent inspection, on September 2, 2026, found no infractions.
3 of 9 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 4 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Food temperature control and Protecting food from contamination.
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.
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 6 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on February 4, 2025. For example:
Improper use and storage of clean, sanitized equipment and utensils
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 5 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on February 24, 2026. For example:
Enough refrigerated storage equipment is not present, properly designed, maintained or operated so that all potentially hazardous foods are cooled properly and stored below 45�F as required.
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 February 24, 2026. For example:
Food from unapproved source, spoiled, adulterated on premises.
Equipment and utensilsLower risk
Equipment has to be built from cleanable materials, kept in good repair and stored properly. These findings are mostly about upkeep, like a cracked shelf, a worn gasket or utensils stored the wrong way. They are generally lower risk but show how well the kitchen is maintained.
Recorded 6 times across 5 separate inspections, most recently on February 24, 2026. For example:
Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
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.
9 inspections
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
4 infractions
- 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- Not Critical Violation
- 1H: Food from unapproved source, spoiled, adulterated on premises.
- 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
- 5E: Enough refrigerated storage equipment is not present, properly designed, maintained or operated so that all potentially hazardous foods are cooled properly and stored below 45�F as required.
- Critical Violation
- 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 8C: Improper use and storage of clean, sanitized equipment and utensils
- Not Critical Violation
- 8C: Improper use and storage of clean, sanitized equipment and utensils
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
5 infractions
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Critical Violation
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Not Critical Violation
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Critical Violation
- 5A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or below 45�F during cold holding, except smoked fish not kept at or below 38�F during cold holding.
- 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
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- Not Critical Violation
- 11A: Manual facilities inadequate, technique incorrect; mechanical facilities not operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
- 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
- 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
4 infractions
- 10A: Food (ice) contact surfaces are improperly designed, constructed, installed, located (cracks, open seams, pitted surfaces, tin cans reused, uncleanable or corroded food contact surfaces)
- Not Critical Violation
- 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- 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
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Critical Violation
- 10A: Food (ice) contact surfaces are improperly designed, constructed, installed, located (cracks, open seams, pitted surfaces, tin cans reused, uncleanable or corroded food contact surfaces)
- Inspection
2 infractions
- 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- Not Critical Violation
- 8B: In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
- Not Critical Violation
- 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
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