Inside the complex world of local food hygiene ratings

Plus: Leyton's new pub Chop Shop Tavern, the Hitchcock's South African cafe The Wrong Man, why Aquila became Apus, the Red Lion closure and the North Star's Thai specials

Unity Cafe boasts one of many 5-star ratings. Photo: Stephen Emms

Despite writing about food and travel for years, I don’t check hygiene ratings as much as I probably should before visiting a pub, cafe or restaurant. To be honest, I’m not sure why.

Occasionally, readers email about the subject, local papers carry stories about mice droppings (hello Aldi), or I’ll see a slew of angry comments on social media. And most notoriously, there was the recent issue of Sainsbury’s Leyton High Road branch inaccurately displaying a 5-star rating, outed by a BBC investigation.

But just before Christmas, I came down with norovirus, or at least one of those horrible winter vomiting bugs. I blamed it on a night out in a crazy-busy Soho, but during my recovery, I began to wonder about food hygiene ratings at a time of year when so many people were out, paws touching everything, chefs and waiting staff more stressed, overworked and busier than ever.

Looking with curiosity into the ratings at venues in Leyton and Leytonstone led to some genuine surprises. So, how exactly does it work? Over the next two weeks I’ve decided to take a closer look, as well as speak to different independent business owners about their own experiences.

First stop was Waltham Forest’s community safety councillor Khevyn Limbajee, who said that the main thing to understand is that inspections are carried out “without prior notification, with higher risk premises being inspected more frequently.” They can also be made in response to customer complaints or to known and emerging issues in a local food business.

What happens during an inspection? “Environmental Health Officers carry out a risk-based assessment to ensure that the business is following food safety legislation and to identify any potential risks to public health – such as cross contamination issues or pest infestations. Other considerations include how hygienically food is handled, the condition of the structure and equipment, and the confidence in the management of the business to effectively implement food safety requirements.”

Rather than simply “penalising businesses for non-compliance”, the intention is to give food vendors “the guidance they need to improve food safety practices to protect the public from harm,” he says. “Where a food business has made improvements and wishes to improve their score, they may apply for an unannounced re-visit where a new score will be awarded based on the conditions found at the business at the time of the follow-up inspection.”

A venue scores 5 if hygiene standards are “very good”, 4 if “good,” 3 if “satisfactory”, 2 for “some improvement is necessary”, 1 meaning “major improvement is necessary” and 0, “urgent improvement is required.”

It’s worth underlining that the rating is not a reflection of either how good the food is, customer service or culinary flair. So, with that in mind, which pubs and eateries score best - a coveted 5 - and which - alas - came out worst?

Happily, many high-profile Leyton and Leytonstone haunts carry the top 5-star rating, include the award-winning Homies On Donkeys, both the Thai kitchen and Papi’s at the North Star, high-quality pizza joints Yard Sale and Bocca Bocca, Middle Eastern kitchen Sireli at Filly Brook, small plates nook Arch Deli, corner boozers the Northcote and The Birds, long-running deli Yardarm, cocktail bar Leyton Calling, Yume Sushi, and artisan cafes Out Of The Woods, Unity and Marmelo. Less-hyped places like The Rabbit, Anatolia, William The Fourth and J’Adore Cafe score 5 too. Well done, all.

Those scoring a 4 include The Olive, Bella Vita, Jannah, Bread & Oregano, Heathcote & Star, Masala India, Baba’s Village, Coach & Horses, Tamping Grounds E11 and Mar & Terra, while a “generally satisfactory” 3 goes to the Leytonstone Tavern, Burnt Smokehouse, Red Lion, Panda Dim Sum, Palmeira, Singburi, Eat My Pizza and Gravity Well.

So who didn’t fare so well? Well, that’s what I’ll cover in Part Two of this investigation next week, when I speak to four local independent business owners who were caught unawares and scored shocking zeros. Each has been honest enough to explain exactly what happened - and what problems have now been rectified.

In short, it’s all a more complex process than we as punters might expect. Venues often wait months for re-inspections - which cost a hefty £326 - due to Waltham Forest being “short-staffed,” as one owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, put it. The same person also told me that “Waltham Forest have the most zero-rated establishments in any London borough because they’re incredibly strict and some would say unreasonable.”

So are the council, in effect, penalising businesses for non-compliance? Or giving food vendors guidance to protect the public? Find out more in next week’s issue. But for now, it would be interesting to know your thoughts on the subject.

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From jaffles on Leyton Flat to a new E10 pub under the arches

The Wrong Man: a lovely spot by Hollow Pond. Photo: SE

Welcome to a jam-packed issue today, with everything from the unexpected story behind Leytonstone’s Hong Kong tea house Apus to the lowdown on Leyton Midland’s forthcoming new pub, Chop Shop Tavern.

My favourite discovery this week is probably East London’s first ‘jaffles’ specialist, The Wrong Man, pictured above. Run by affable owner Kevin Holroyd, this ‘snack shack’ opened just before Christmas outside The Hitchcock pub on Leyton Flats. Its focus is Perky Blenders coffee, jaffles and East London craft beer: scroll down to read what I recommend trying. (For the uninitiated, Kevin explained to me, jaffles is originally an Antipodean term for a specific sealed toastie, also super-popular in his native South Africa.)

Now, some housekeeping. Let’s rewind to last week’s poll results, when 81% of you voted for Leyton Cricket Pavilion to become a Food Hub, with just 17% saying “let’s see who the new operator is.” I’ve forwarded this to Waltham Forest - so watch this space.

Here’s what to expect in today’s full issue for paid subscribers:

• Everything you need to know about the new Chop Shop Tavern in Leyton Midland arches

• How new cafe The Wrong Man has saved The Hitchcock - and what to order

• Why Hong Kong kitchen Aquila became Vela Vietnamese and now Apus

• The Red Lion - what exactly is happening?

• The must-try Thai specials at The North Star

• Gravity Well Taproom’s new arch

• This weekend’s pop-ups and January deals

• And don’t forget, there’s still time to enjoy four exclusive fitness offers and discounts at Hotpod Yoga, Pause (just one more week left!), Fit As and The Therapy Guy. All are still up for grabs - find out more in last week’s newsletter here

Upgrading to a paid subscription costs £5 a month, or just £45 a year: that’s the same as a pint of milk (or 86p) a week. And for that you can immerse yourself in food and culture stories, local discounts and freebies with independent businesses, longer reads, unbiased restaurant reviews and all the latest foodie gossip in the area. The more people who pay to subscribe, the more I can publish.

Other ways to support this newsletter include hitting the heart button (yep, for the all-important Substack algorithms), and sharing it with your friends and neighbours. Skint? Limited concessionary rates are available (email stephen@leytonstoner.london).

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Chop Shop Tavern: “this time it’s personal”, says Danny Saunders

Danny outside his new pub this week. Photo: Stephen Emms

In the last couple of years it’s seen two fitness studios, a smash hit BBQ smokehouse, a BYOB Caribbean, two taprooms and two stylish bars. And now - drumroll - Leyton Midland is about to get its first cosy pub. It goes by the quirky name of Chop Shop Tavern.

Owner Danny Saunders - yep, he of Leyton Calling cocktail bar fame - is the brains behind the new Tilbury Road venture. I popped by earlier this week to get the lowdown on what might just be Leyton’s most seductive new spot to while away the winter. If in doubt, think the Sun Tavern in Bethnal Green as reference point: expect candles and cosy corners aplenty.

So what’s it like?