The Box Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Cambridge City
The Box Cafe 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 21 May 2025, 13 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: 47 - 51 Norfolk Street, Cambridge
How it compares in Cambridge City
That puts The Box Cafe among the 998 places in Cambridge City holding top marks, 78% 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 | 998 | 78% | ← The Box Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 198 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 56 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 25 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 187 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very 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 Box Cafe 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 Box Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Seasons Food Retailers - other | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 July 2023 |
| Anglia Ruskin University - Cambridge Campus School/college/university | 171 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2026 |
| 92 @ Young Street Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 280 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2026 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 286 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2025 |
| Arjuna Ltd Kitchen 1 & Ground Floor Takeaway/sandwich shop | 435 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2024 |
| AROMI Caffe Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2024 |
| 5 Blends Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 September 2025 |
| Burleigh arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 May 2024 |
Questions about The Box Cafe
What is The Box Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Box Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cambridge City Council on 21 May 2025.
Is The Box Cafe 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 Box Cafe last inspected?
The Box Cafe was last inspected on 21 May 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cambridge City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Box Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Box Cafe compare to other places in Cambridge City?
78% of the 1,287 rated food businesses in Cambridge City hold the top rating of 5, and The Box Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cambridge City Council inspects The Box Cafe 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 Box Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Cambridge City inspects and rates 1,474 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cambridge City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cambridge.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 →