The Darjeeling food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Lewisham
The Darjeeling holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 3 March 2025, 16 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: 134 Lee High Road, London, SE13 5PR
How it compares in Lewisham
In Lewisham, 62% of rated places manage a 5, so The Darjeeling sits behind roughly 1,705 nearby businesses. 12% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,252 | 62% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 453 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 235 | 12% | ← The Darjeeling | |
| 2 out of 5 | 37 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 28 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 464 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 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 The Darjeeling 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 Darjeeling, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Touch of Class Caribbean Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2025 |
| Allwines Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2025 |
| Antonio Delicatessen Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 February 2024 |
| Antonio Cafe and Restuarant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 February 2024 |
| Aloha Off Licence Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 February 2024 |
| Anamore Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
| 3A Chinese Medicine Centre Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| Alpha Lounge Restaurant and Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2026 |
Questions about The Darjeeling
What is The Darjeeling's food hygiene rating?
The Darjeeling has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Lewisham Council on 3 March 2025.
Is The Darjeeling safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Darjeeling last inspected?
The Darjeeling was last inspected on 3 March 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Lewisham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Darjeeling?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Darjeeling compare to other places in Lewisham?
62% of the 2,009 rated food businesses in Lewisham hold the top rating of 5, while The Darjeeling holds a 3. 235 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Lewisham Council inspects The Darjeeling 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 Darjeeling and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Lewisham inspects and rates 2,473 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Lewisham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/business/food-safety/Pages/default.aspx
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 →