SONA food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · East Hertfordshire
SONA 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 23 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: 35 High Street, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, SG9 9AD
How it compares in East Hertfordshire
In East Hertfordshire, 84% of rated places manage a 5, so SONA sits behind roughly 977 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 977 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 146 | 13% | ← SONA | |
| 3 out of 5 | 30 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 222 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 SONA 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 SONA, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Viceroy Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
| King Pizza \& Kebabs Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 6 May 2026 |
| Buntingford Fryery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 30 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 May 2024 |
| Peppermill Bar And Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 32 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
| The Cheese Plate Retailers - other | 32 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 April 2024 |
| Days Of Ashwell Bakers Retailers - other | 32 yards away | 4 - Good | 13 May 2025 |
| Take Away House Takeaway/sandwich shop | 32 yards away | 1 - Major improvement necessary | 24 November 2025 |
| Touch Of Glamour Retailers - other | 46 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 March 2023 |
Questions about SONA
What is SONA's food hygiene rating?
SONA has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by East Hertfordshire Council on 23 January 2026.
Is SONA 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 SONA last inspected?
SONA was last inspected on 23 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at SONA?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does SONA compare to other places in East Hertfordshire?
84% of the 1,168 rated food businesses in East Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while SONA holds a 4. 146 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
East Hertfordshire Council inspects SONA 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 SONA and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
SONA is one of 61 rated food businesses in Buntingford. See every hygiene rating in Buntingford →
East Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,390 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Hertfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eastherts.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 →