Hot Box Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Chelmsford
Hot Box 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 21 January 2025, 17 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: 28 - 29 The Arches, Viaduct Road, Chelmsford, CM1 1TS
How it compares in Chelmsford
That puts Hot Box Cafe among the 1,327 places in Chelmsford holding top marks, 92% 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 | 1,327 | 92% | ← Hot Box Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 86 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 153 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Hot Box 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 Hot Box Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burgess Springs Local Retailers - other | 55 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2026 |
| Bassment Retailers - other | 180 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2026 |
| Brewhouse And Kitchen Other catering premises | 192 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 April 2025 |
| Baptist Church Other catering premises | 194 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 November 2025 |
| Brights Corner Retailers - other | 241 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 May 2024 |
| BeWell Retailers - other | 255 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2024 |
| Caribbean Flavours Other catering premises | 328 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2025 |
| Baan Noodle Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 328 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2025 |
Questions about Hot Box Cafe
What is Hot Box Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Hot Box Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Chelmsford Council on 21 January 2025.
Is Hot Box 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 Hot Box Cafe last inspected?
Hot Box Cafe was last inspected on 21 January 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Chelmsford Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Hot Box Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Hot Box Cafe compare to other places in Chelmsford?
92% of the 1,447 rated food businesses in Chelmsford hold the top rating of 5, and Hot Box Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Chelmsford Council inspects Hot Box 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 Hot Box 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
Chelmsford inspects and rates 1,600 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Chelmsford →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.chelmsford.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 →