Cafe Cactus food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Islington
Cafe Cactus 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 28 January 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: Cafe Cactus, 266 St John Street, London, EC1V 4PE
How it compares in Islington
In Islington, 64% of rated places manage a 5, so Cafe Cactus 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% | ← Cafe Cactus | |
| 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 Good
- 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 Cafe Cactus 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 Cafe Cactus, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 Coffee Company Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 300 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2026 |
| 3rd Generation Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2022 |
| 1 Rebel Gym Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
| 4YouExpress Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2026 |
| A Pinch of Salt Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 April 2026 |
| 1a Children's Centre Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 November 2024 |
| A J News Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 October 2018 |
| 45 White Lion Street Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 August 2022 |
Questions about Cafe Cactus
What is Cafe Cactus's food hygiene rating?
Cafe Cactus has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Islington Council on 28 January 2026.
Is Cafe Cactus 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 Cafe Cactus last inspected?
Cafe Cactus was last inspected on 28 January 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 Cafe Cactus?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", 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 Cafe Cactus compare to other places in Islington?
64% of the 2,408 rated food businesses in Islington hold the top rating of 5, while Cafe Cactus holds a 4. 470 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Islington Council inspects Cafe Cactus 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 Cafe Cactus and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
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 →