The Lunch Box food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Cumberland
The Lunch Box 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 10 September 2025, 10 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: 41 Market Place, Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA28 7JB
How it compares in Cumberland
That puts The Lunch Box among the 2,087 places in Cumberland 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 | 2,087 | 84% | ← The Lunch Box | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 285 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 88 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 258 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 The Lunch Box 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 Lunch Box, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Harvest Health Foods Retailers - other | 33 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2023 |
| Anchor Vaults Pub/bar/nightclub | 40 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
| Charcoal Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 40 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
| Greggs Plc Retailers - other | 40 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 March 2026 |
| Barra Jacks Pub/bar/nightclub | 52 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 October 2025 |
| Harbour Youth Project Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2023 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 94 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2025 |
| K Kinsella & Daughters Ltd Retailers - other | 94 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2023 |
Questions about The Lunch Box
What is The Lunch Box's food hygiene rating?
The Lunch Box has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cumberland Council on 10 September 2025.
Is The Lunch Box 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 Lunch Box last inspected?
The Lunch Box was last inspected on 10 September 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cumberland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Lunch Box?
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 The Lunch Box compare to other places in Cumberland?
84% of the 2,490 rated food businesses in Cumberland hold the top rating of 5, and The Lunch Box is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cumberland Council inspects The Lunch Box 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 Lunch Box 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 Lunch Box is one of 207 rated food businesses in Whitehaven. See every hygiene rating in Whitehaven →
Cumberland inspects and rates 2,748 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cumberland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cumberland.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 →