The Black Penny food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Kensington and Chelsea
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 23 April 2026, 2 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: 55 Duke Of York Square, London, SW3 4LY
How it compares in Kensington and Chelsea
That puts The Black Penny among the 1,609 places in Kensington and Chelsea holding top marks, 88% 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 | 1,609 | 88% | ← The Black Penny | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 158 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 51 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 168 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 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accent Catering School/college/university | 350 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2025 |
| 2 Chesham Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 March 2026 |
| 1Rebel Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2025 |
| A Moore & Co Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 September 2025 |
| 50 Ways Caviar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 May 2025 |
| Accent Catering @Francis Holland Prep School School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2024 |
| Acai Berry Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 October 2024 |
| Abc Kitchens Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 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 Kensington and Chelsea Council on 23 April 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 23 April 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Kensington and Chelsea 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 "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 Black Penny compare to other places in Kensington and Chelsea?
88% of the 1,834 rated food businesses in Kensington and Chelsea hold the top rating of 5, and The Black Penny is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Kensington and Chelsea 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.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Kensington and Chelsea inspects and rates 2,002 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Kensington and Chelsea →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.rbkc.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 →