The Black Olive Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Islington
The Black Olive Cafe holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 13 February 2026, 5 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: The Black Olive Cafe, Basement And Ground Floor, 5 Charterhouse Buildings, EC1M 7AN
How it compares in Islington
In Islington, 64% of rated places manage a 5, so The Black Olive Cafe sits behind roughly 1,536 nearby businesses. 20% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,536 | 64% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 470 | 20% | ← The Black Olive Cafe | |
| 3 out of 5 | 265 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 88 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 48 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 179 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 Very good
- 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 Black Olive 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 Black Olive Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Pinch of Salt Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 368 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 April 2026 |
| A J News Retailers - other | 387 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 October 2018 |
| 1930 Coffee Company Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2026 |
| 3rd Generation Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2022 |
| 87 Barts Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| 56 WS Wine Bar & Shop Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 November 2022 |
| 21 West Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2025 |
| 88 Beans Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 April 2025 |
Questions about The Black Olive Cafe
What is The Black Olive Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Black Olive Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Islington Council on 13 February 2026.
Is The Black Olive Cafe safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Black Olive Cafe last inspected?
The Black Olive Cafe was last inspected on 13 February 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Islington Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Black Olive Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", 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 Black Olive Cafe compare to other places in Islington?
64% of the 2,408 rated food businesses in Islington hold the top rating of 5, while The Black Olive Cafe holds a 4. 470 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Islington Council inspects The Black Olive 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 Black Olive 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
The Black Olive Cafe is one of 93 rated food businesses in Basement and Ground Floor. See every hygiene rating in Basement and Ground Floor →
Islington inspects and rates 2,587 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Islington →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.islington.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 →