RIKO'S PIZZA
68 MERRICK AVENUE, MERRICK, NY 11566 · Restaurant (Food Service Establishment)
Inspection summary
RIKO'S PIZZA has been inspected 4 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since May 18, 2023. The most recent inspection, on September 17, 2026, recorded 4 infractions.
None of the 4 inspections on record were free of infractions. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 4 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Pests, Protecting food from contamination and Cleaning and sanitizing.
Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.
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.
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 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on October 2, 2025. For example:
Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
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 September 17, 2026. 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)
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 September 17, 2026. For example:
Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk
Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.
Recorded once on October 2, 2025. For example:
Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
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 3 separate inspections, most recently on September 17, 2026. For example:
Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
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.
4 inspections
- Inspection
4 infractions
- 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
- Not Critical Violation
- 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- Not Critical Violation
- 12C: Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- 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)
- Not Critical Violation
- 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 14B: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
- Not Critical Violation
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
- Not Critical Violation
- 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
- Critical Violation
- 14B: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
- Inspection
2 infractions
- 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
- Not Critical Violation
- 14A: Insects, rodents present
- Not Critical Violation
- 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
- 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
- 8B: In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
- Not Critical Violation
- 14B: Effective measures not used to control entrance (rodent-, insect-proof contruction). Harborage areas available for rodents, insects and other vermin
- 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)