The Little Kitchen food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Hartlepool
The Little Kitchen holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the business met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 13 January 2026, 6 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 Elwick Road, Hartlepool, TS26 9AE
How it compares in Hartlepool
That puts The Little Kitchen among the 670 places in Hartlepool holding top marks, 91% 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 | 670 | 91% | ← The Little Kitchen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 49 | 7% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 18 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 0 | 0% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 30 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very 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 Little Kitchen 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 Little Kitchen, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best-One Burn Valley Wines Retailers - other | 49 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2025 |
| Charlotte Grange Residential Home Caring Premises | 189 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2025 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 233 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 May 2026 |
| Blacksmiths Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 293 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 January 2026 |
| 11 O'Clock Shop (Lifestyle Express) Retailers - other | 398 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2025 |
| Birch Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 August 2025 |
| Cousin's Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 August 2025 |
| Community Hub Central Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 June 2026 |
Questions about The Little Kitchen
What is The Little Kitchen's food hygiene rating?
The Little Kitchen has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Hartlepool Council on 13 January 2026.
Is The Little Kitchen 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 business to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Little Kitchen last inspected?
The Little Kitchen was last inspected on 13 January 2026, 6 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Hartlepool Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Little Kitchen?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Little Kitchen compare to other places in Hartlepool?
91% of the 739 rated food businesses in Hartlepool hold the top rating of 5, and The Little Kitchen is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Hartlepool Council inspects The Little Kitchen 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 Little Kitchen and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Hartlepool inspects and rates 769 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Hartlepool →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.hartlepool.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 →