Mess Hall food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Epping Forest
Mess Hall 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 15 August 2024, 22 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: The Forest Cafe Unit 14C, Woodside Industrial Estate, Woodside, CM16 6LJ
How it compares in Epping Forest
That puts Mess Hall among the 760 places in Epping Forest holding top marks, 84% 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 | 760 | 84% | ← Mess Hall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 96 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 36 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 148 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 Mess Hall 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 Mess Hall, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocktail Toppers Pro Ltd Retailers - other | 12 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 February 2025 |
| Deerlicious Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 12 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 November 2025 |
| Happy Bees (Essex) Ltd Farmers/growers | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2024 |
| Morning Glory Mobile caterer | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2025 |
| Elmcroft Guest House Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 February 2024 |
| Caramelize Catering Mobile caterer | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2024 |
| Ongar Dairy Manufacturers/packers | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2023 |
| Herb 'N' Spice Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2026 |
Questions about Mess Hall
What is Mess Hall's food hygiene rating?
Mess Hall has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Epping Forest Council on 15 August 2024.
Is Mess Hall 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 Mess Hall last inspected?
Mess Hall was last inspected on 15 August 2024, 22 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Epping Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Mess Hall?
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 Mess Hall compare to other places in Epping Forest?
84% of the 910 rated food businesses in Epping Forest hold the top rating of 5, and Mess Hall is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Epping Forest Council inspects Mess Hall 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 Mess Hall and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Mess Hall is one of 185 rated food businesses in Epping. See every hygiene rating in Epping →
Epping Forest inspects and rates 1,058 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Epping Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eppingforestdc.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 →