SMAA Food & Drinks food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Waltham Forest
SMAA Food & Drinks holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 10 November 2025, 8 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: 355 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17 9AP
How it compares in Waltham Forest
A 1 is rare: only 131 of 1,865 rated places in Waltham Forest score this low, about one in 14. By contrast 51% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 51% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 427 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 267 | 14% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 131 | 7% | ← SMAA Food & Drinks | |
| 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 Major improvement necessary
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 SMAA Food & Drinks the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to SMAA Food & Drinks, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atdheu Caffe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 7 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
| Arfan Supermarket Retailers - other | 87 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2024 |
| Aspens Services at Barclay's Primary School School/college/university | 257 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Alytus Retailers - other | 414 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2025 |
| Albany Nursing Home Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2026 |
| Aspens at Thomas Gamuel Primary School School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 September 2025 |
| Aspray House Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2025 |
| Admiral Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 December 2024 |
Questions about SMAA Food & Drinks
What is SMAA Food & Drinks's food hygiene rating?
SMAA Food & Drinks has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Waltham Forest Council on 10 November 2025.
Is SMAA Food & Drinks safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was SMAA Food & Drinks last inspected?
SMAA Food & Drinks was last inspected on 10 November 2025, 8 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 SMAA Food & Drinks?
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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does SMAA Food & Drinks 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 SMAA Food & Drinks holds a 1. 131 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Waltham Forest Council inspects SMAA Food & Drinks 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 SMAA Food & Drinks 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Waltham Forest, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Waltham Forest
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
SMAA Food & Drinks is one of 773 rated food businesses in Walthamstow. See every hygiene rating in Walthamstow →
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 →