Key Points
- The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is designed to help consumers make informed choices when eating out or shopping for food, offering ratings from 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good).
- Redbridge, Epping, and Harlow have all seen recent hygiene inspections and ratings updates across a range of restaurants, cafes, takeaways, and food retailers, according to the Food Standards Agency and local authorities.
- Melih BBQ Restaurant in Redbridge recently received a 4-out-of-5 hygiene rating, indicating good food hygiene practices, as reported by LondonWorld.
- The Redbridge Superstore in Ilford achieved ‘Good’ ratings across all inspection categories, according to the Food Standards Agency.
- Dada in Epping holds a “generally satisfactory” score for food handling, but ‘good’ on other criteria.
- Food hygiene officers from Redbridge, Epping Forest, and Harlow councils conduct unnotified inspections, focusing on food handling, premises cleanliness, and safety management.
- Most inspected businesses across these districts scored 3 or above, signalling generally acceptable to very good food hygiene standards.
- Consumers can check food hygiene ratings via local authority websites and the Food Standards Agency portal.
- Local authorities encourage consumers and businesses to report concerns and can request re-ratings following improvements.
- Food businesses display window stickers with their latest hygiene score, but display is not a legal requirement.
The latest food hygiene ratings have been published for businesses in Redbridge, including the neighbouring areas of Epping and Harlow, providing local residents with crucial, up-to-date information regarding food safety standards in the region.
What Are Food Hygiene Ratings and How Are They Decided?
As explained by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), cited on iHASCO, the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme assigns businesses a score from 0 to 5. This rating is determined by local food safety officers during unannounced inspections and reflects standards for hygienic food handling, cleanliness of premises, and food safety management systems. A rating of 5 signifies “very good,” 4 indicates “good,” 3 is “generally satisfactory,” 2 suggests “improvement necessary,” 1 means “major improvement necessary,” and 0 is “urgent improvement necessary”.
According to an in-depth guide on the iHASCO blog, the inspections are objective snapshots, and businesses are assessed on how food is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled, and stored, as well as the organisation’s food safety procedures and building condition. As further confirmed by Harlow District Council, not all food-selling businesses are rated if they fall into low-risk categories, though most outlets—including restaurants, takeaways, cafes, pubs, delis, schools, and supermarkets—are inspected.
Which Redbridge Businesses Have Recently Been Inspected?
As per inspection records from Scores On The Doors and the Food Standards Agency, Redbridge currently has over 1,900 food hygiene ratings available, regularly updated following inspection rounds (most recently on 10 July 2025). Among the notable listings are:
- Melih BBQ Restaurant at 1177 High Road received a 4-out-of-5 rating, as reported by the LondonWorld news desk, demonstrating strong hygiene practices in this popular local eatery. LondonWorld highlighted the importance for consumers to regularly check ratings before dining out.
- Redbridge Superstore in Ilford at 220 Redbridge Lane East scored “Good” across all main inspection areas, including food handling, premises cleanliness, and the management of food safety standards, according to inspection findings published by the FSA. The Superstore’s inspection covered hygienic food handling, environmental standards, and evidence of a robust food safety system.
Many other businesses, such as Bobo and Wild, Haritas Kitchen, Delroy’s Grill House, and Mwendo Kasi, have also been inspected recently, with ratings generally reflecting satisfactory or better standards in food hygiene.
How Are Businesses in Epping and Harlow Rated?
Information from the Epping Forest District Council and the Food Standards Agency shows that there are over 1,000 premises rated in Epping alone, with inspection data imported as recently as December 2024. According to official FSA records:
- Dada at 5 Station Road, Epping, garnered a “generally satisfactory” rating for food handling while achieving “good” for both its facilities and food safety management system.
- Epping Express, found at 114 High Street, was recently inspected but the details of the specific rating were not made public in the most recent snapshot.
In Harlow, the local council confirms the use of the same national rating scheme and inspection standards. Ratings can be checked via the FSA portal or the Harlow council website, allowing residents to quickly review an establishment’s current standing.
What Do the Food Hygiene Ratings Mean for Local Consumers?
Explaining the impact for residents, iHASCO notes that a 3 or higher is generally considered safe and acceptable for dining, while ratings below this signal issues that may involve lapses in documentation, cleaning, or staff training. Critical or widespread infractions can drop a score to 2 or lower, triggering a requirement for visible improvements and sometimes necessitating urgent remedial action.
A YouTube explainer cited by (Food Hygiene Ratings: How Low Is Too Low?) underlines that while 3 marks the threshold of acceptability, consumers are urged to consider the specifics of each inspection report and to avoid frequenting businesses rated below this threshold due to potential risks such as unsafe food storage or lax hygiene procedures.
How Do Local Authorities Handle Poor Ratings and Re-Rating Requests?
Environmental Health Officers with the Epping Forest District Council monitor compliance and respond to consumer complaints. Underperformance may lead to enforcement actions, including improvement notices, fines, or—where urgent hazards exist—temporary closure. Businesses seeking a re-inspection to improve their rating must demonstrate that all non-conformities have been addressed and pay a set fee, after which councils will conduct unannounced visits within a set time frame.
How Can Residents and Businesses Access and Challenge Food Hygiene Ratings?
All food hygiene ratings for the region are freely accessible through the Food Standards Agency website, as well as local council portals for Redbridge, Epping Forest, and Harlow. The FSA also provides downloadable rating widgets for businesses wishing to display their score online, although window sticker display is voluntary in England.
Should a business disagree with its assessment, councils in Redbridge and Epping allow managers to formally request a re-inspection or appeal—a process outlined in detail by the Food Standards Agency and mirrored across local government websites.
What Should Consumers and Businesses Do With This Information?
Residents are encouraged by all councils to check hygiene ratings before purchasing food or eating out and to report any concerns regarding hygiene standards to the appropriate Environmental Health Officers. The councils pledge to investigate public complaints and take necessary action to safeguard community health.
Hotline numbers and feedback forms are available on each local council website for raising concerns or providing new information about a business’s hygiene standards.
