RALPH'S FAMOUS ITALIAN ICES
242 MERRICK ROAD, OCEANSIDE, NY 115721427 · Restaurant (Ice Cream Store)
Inspection summary
RALPH'S FAMOUS ITALIAN ICES has been inspected 16 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since March 25, 2009. The most recent inspection, on May 5, 2026, found no infractions.
8 of 16 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 0 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Food temperature control and Handwashing and staff hygiene.
The last 2 inspections in a row found no infractions. The number of infractions per inspection has stayed roughly the same over time.
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 once on September 10, 2012. For example:
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)
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 once on September 10, 2012. For example:
Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk
Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.
Recorded once on September 10, 2012. For example:
Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
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 April 26, 2011. For example:
Insects, rodents present
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 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on June 5, 2024. 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.
16 inspections
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- Not Critical Violation
- 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 14C: Pesticide application not supervised by a certified applicator
- Not Critical Violation
- 14C: Pesticide application not supervised by a certified applicator
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 12A: Hot, cold running water not provided, pressure inadequate
- Not Critical Violation
- 12A: Hot, cold running water not provided, pressure inadequate
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- Not Critical Violation
- 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 8D: Single service items reused, improperly stored, dispensed, not used when required
- Not Critical Violation
- 8D: Single service items reused, improperly stored, dispensed, not used when required
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 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
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Not Critical Violation
- 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
- Not 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)
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
- Not Critical Violation
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 8B: In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
- Not Critical Violation
- 8B: In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
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