Helma Cafe + Wine food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Hackney
Helma Cafe + Wine 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 21 March 2025, 15 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: 13C Downham Road, Hackney, N1 5AA
How it compares in Hackney
That puts Helma Cafe + Wine among the 1,470 places in Hackney holding top marks, 66% 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 | 1,470 | 66% | ← Helma Cafe + Wine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 422 | 19% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 215 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 78 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 28 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 5 | <1% |
A further 395 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 Helma Cafe + 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 Helma Cafe + Wine, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 392 Kingsland Road Takeaway/sandwich shop | 327 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2024 |
| 91 Bites Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 October 2025 |
| Abla Dalston Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2024 |
| Acorn House Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 May 2019 |
| Abraco Dalston Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 March 2025 |
| 4cose Ltd Retailers - other | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2026 |
| 081 Pizzeria Napoletana Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 October 2025 |
Questions about Helma Cafe + Wine
What is Helma Cafe + Wine's food hygiene rating?
Helma Cafe + Wine has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Hackney Council on 21 March 2025.
Is Helma Cafe + Wine 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 Helma Cafe + Wine last inspected?
Helma Cafe + Wine was last inspected on 21 March 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Hackney Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Helma Cafe + Wine?
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 Helma Cafe + Wine compare to other places in Hackney?
66% of the 2,218 rated food businesses in Hackney hold the top rating of 5, and Helma Cafe + Wine is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Hackney Council inspects Helma Cafe + 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 Helma Cafe + 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
Hackney inspects and rates 2,613 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Hackney →
The official record is held by the council: https://hackney.gov.uk/environmental-health#food
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 →