Lightning Food and Wine food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Waltham Forest
Lightning Food and Wine holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop 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 15 May 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 485 Forest Road, Walthamstow, E17 5LD
How it compares in Waltham Forest
In Waltham Forest, 51% of rated places manage a 5, so Lightning Food and Wine sits behind roughly 949 nearby businesses. 23% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 51% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 427 | 23% | ← Lightning Food and Wine | |
| 3 out of 5 | 267 | 14% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 131 | 7% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 61 | 3% |
A further 131 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 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 Lightning Food and Wine 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 Lightning Food and Wine, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afters Walthamstow Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 375 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| 1st Stepping Stones Nursery Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2026 |
| Aytun Mini Market Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2024 |
| Admiral Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 December 2024 |
| Acorn Day Opportunies Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2025 |
| Aramark at Waltham Forest College Cafes School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| Armstrong Audio Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 June 2024 |
| Afrobbean Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2025 |
Questions about Lightning Food and Wine
What is Lightning Food and Wine's food hygiene rating?
Lightning Food and Wine has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Waltham Forest Council on 15 May 2024.
Is Lightning Food and Wine 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 shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Lightning Food and Wine last inspected?
Lightning Food and Wine was last inspected on 15 May 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Waltham Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Lightning Food and Wine?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Lightning Food and Wine compare to other places in Waltham Forest?
51% of the 1,865 rated food businesses in Waltham Forest hold the top rating of 5, while Lightning Food and Wine holds a 4. 427 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Waltham Forest Council inspects Lightning Food and Wine 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 Lightning Food and Wine and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Lightning Food and Wine is one of 773 rated food businesses in Walthamstow. See every hygiene rating in Walthamstow →
Waltham Forest inspects and rates 1,996 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Waltham Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.walthamforest.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 →