The Hungry Cow food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Waltham Forest
The Hungry Cow holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
This rating dates from 25 February 2025, but the business has been re-inspected and a new rating is awaiting publication, so the score shown here is about to change.
Address: 21 Kirkdale Road, Leytonstone, E11 1HP
How it compares in Waltham Forest
In Waltham Forest, 51% of rated places manage a 5, so The Hungry Cow sits behind roughly 1,376 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 51% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 427 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 267 | 14% | ← The Hungry Cow | |
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 131 | 7% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 61 | 3% |
A further 131 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Hungry Cow 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 Hungry Cow, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashbridge Lodge Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2025 |
| Attentive Care Ltd Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2024 |
| Adeza Care Homes Ltd Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 February 2025 |
| 7 in One Wine Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 February 2025 |
| Ashville Care Home Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2025 |
| Azhar Academy Primary & Nursery School School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| Aspens Services Ltd at Barclay Primary School School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2025 |
| Albert & Francis Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2025 |
Questions about The Hungry Cow
What is The Hungry Cow's food hygiene rating?
The Hungry Cow has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Waltham Forest Council on 25 February 2025.
Is The Hungry Cow safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Hungry Cow last inspected?
The Hungry Cow was last inspected on 25 February 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Waltham Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Hungry Cow?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Hungry Cow compare to other places in Waltham Forest?
51% of the 1,865 rated food businesses in Waltham Forest hold the top rating of 5, while The Hungry Cow holds a 3. 267 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Waltham Forest Council inspects The Hungry Cow 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 Hungry Cow 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 Hungry Cow is one of 265 rated food businesses in Leytonstone. See every hygiene rating in Leytonstone →
Waltham Forest inspects and rates 1,996 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Waltham Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.walthamforest.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 →