The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · North Hertfordshire
The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant 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 30 January 2026, 5 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: The Rose Gardens Cambridge Road, Hitchin, SG4 0JX
How it compares in North Hertfordshire
That puts The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant among the 789 places in North Hertfordshire holding top marks, 78% 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 | 789 | 78% | ← The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 155 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 48 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
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 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 The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant 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 Gardener's Retreat Restaurant, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolly Dimples Weddings & Events Hire Mobile caterer | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 March 2025 |
| Buddies Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2025 |
| Days of Ashwell Ltd Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2025 |
| Exacta Supply Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 August 2023 |
| Chapter and Charm Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2025 |
| Bite Around The World Mobile caterer | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2024 |
| Fearnhill School School/college/university | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2025 |
| B&M Retail Ltd Retailers - other | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 November 2018 |
Questions about The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant
What is The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant's food hygiene rating?
The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by North Hertfordshire Council on 30 January 2026.
Is The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant 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 Gardener's Retreat Restaurant last inspected?
The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant was last inspected on 30 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant compare to other places in North Hertfordshire?
78% of the 1,015 rated food businesses in North Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
North Hertfordshire Council inspects The Gardener's Retreat Restaurant 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 Gardener's Retreat Restaurant 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 Gardener's Retreat Restaurant is one of 307 rated food businesses in Hitchin. See every hygiene rating in Hitchin →
North Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,120 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Hertfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.north-herts.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 →