The Black Penny food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Lambeth
The Black Penny 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 13 March 2026, 4 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: 17 Casson Square, London, SE1 7BQ
How it compares in Lambeth
That puts The Black Penny among the 1,473 places in Lambeth holding top marks, 61% 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 | 1,473 | 61% | ← The Black Penny | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 535 | 22% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 238 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 76 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 72 | 3% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 236 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 Black Penny 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 Black Penny, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 rebel Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 March 2019 |
| 50 Kalo Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2021 |
| 180 Pizza Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 June 2022 |
| 404 Club Not Found Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2025 |
| 1 Leicester Square Rooftop Bar and Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 January 2026 |
| A & d news Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 January 2021 |
| 42 Holborn Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 January 2024 |
| 40 Greek Street Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 March 2025 |
Questions about The Black Penny
What is The Black Penny's food hygiene rating?
The Black Penny has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Lambeth Council on 13 March 2026.
Is The Black Penny 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 Black Penny last inspected?
The Black Penny was last inspected on 13 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Lambeth Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Black Penny?
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 Black Penny compare to other places in Lambeth?
61% of the 2,398 rated food businesses in Lambeth hold the top rating of 5, and The Black Penny is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Lambeth Council inspects The Black Penny 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 Black Penny and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Lambeth inspects and rates 2,634 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Lambeth →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.lambeth.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 →