The Elms Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Southend-On-Sea
The Elms Cafe holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 7 January 2025, 18 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 21 Rayleigh Road, Eastwood, Essex, SS9 5UU
How it compares in Southend-On-Sea
That puts The Elms Cafe among the 973 places in Southend-On-Sea holding top marks, 70% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 973 | 70% | ← The Elms Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 243 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 119 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 35 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 16 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 105 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At The Elms Cafe none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Elms Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avondale Rest Home Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2025 |
| Brooklands Nursing Home Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 February 2026 |
| Butterfly House Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2024 |
| Admiral Court Care Home Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2026 |
| Belfairs Woodland Centre Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2024 |
Questions about The Elms Cafe
What is The Elms Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Elms Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Southend-On-Sea Council on 7 January 2025.
Is The Elms Cafe safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Elms Cafe last inspected?
The Elms Cafe was last inspected on 7 January 2025, 18 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Southend-On-Sea Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Elms Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Elms Cafe compare to other places in Southend-On-Sea?
70% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Southend-On-Sea hold the top rating of 5, and The Elms Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Southend-On-Sea Council inspects The Elms Cafe and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch The Elms Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Elms Cafe is one of 63 rated food businesses in Eastwood. See every hygiene rating in Eastwood →
Southend-On-Sea inspects and rates 1,492 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Southend-On-Sea →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southend.gov.uk
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →