EAT! food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · North Hertfordshire
EAT! holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the restaurant that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 4 June 2025, 13 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: 43 Leys Avenue, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3EE
How it compares in North Hertfordshire
A 2 is rare: only 13 of 1,015 rated places in North Hertfordshire score this low, about one in 78. By contrast 78% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 789 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 155 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 48 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ← EAT! | |
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 105 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- 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 EAT! the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
What the business says
<p> We are thoroughly disappointed with our score and have acted immediately on all the areas &amp; actions required by our officer, we are working with the officer to improve and hopefully regain our 5 star rating. Since the inspection we have had another visit from the officer and was happy with the improvements/actions we have taken and put into place.</p>
Businesses have a right to reply to their rating. This response is published by the Food Standards Agency alongside the score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to EAT!, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 43 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 June 2026 |
| Esquires Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2025 |
| Cultivo Lounge Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 73 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 February 2026 |
| Belisily, The Rainbow Café Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 81 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2026 |
| Cooks Boutique Retailers - other | 96 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 May 2023 |
| Curd and Corks Mobile caterer | 96 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 98 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
| Best Before Cafe CIC Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 109 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2025 |
Questions about EAT!
What is EAT!'s food hygiene rating?
EAT! has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by North Hertfordshire Council on 4 June 2025.
Is EAT! safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was EAT! last inspected?
EAT! was last inspected on 4 June 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Hertfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at EAT!?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", 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 EAT! compare to other places in North Hertfordshire?
78% of the 1,015 rated food businesses in North Hertfordshire hold the top rating of 5, while EAT! holds a 2. 13 places in the area share that rating.
Has EAT! responded to its rating?
Yes. Businesses have a right to reply, published alongside the rating. EAT! said: “<p> We are thoroughly disappointed with our score and have acted immediately on all the areas &amp; actions required by our officer, we are working with the officer to improve and hopefully regain our 5 star rating. Since the inspection we have had another visit from the officer and was happy with the improvements/actions we have taken and put into place.</p>”
Who decides the rating?
North Hertfordshire Council inspects EAT! 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 EAT! 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at North Hertfordshire, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: North Hertfordshire
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
EAT! is one of 212 rated food businesses in Letchworth Garden City. See every hygiene rating in Letchworth Garden City →
North Hertfordshire inspects and rates 1,120 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Hertfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.north-herts.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 →