Zaafran food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Havering
Zaafran 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 15 October 2025, 8 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: 234 Main Road, Romford, RM2 5HA
How it compares in Havering
A 2 is rare: only 19 of 1,646 rated places in Havering score this low, about one in 87. By contrast 72% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,179 | 72% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 326 | 20% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 85 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 19 | 1% | ← Zaafran | |
| 1 out of 5 | 34 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 394 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- 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 Zaafran the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Zaafran, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brick Lane Bagel Co Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2024 |
| Burlington's Fish & Grill Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 148 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 April 2025 |
| Ca La Mama Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
| Cafe Royale Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 December 2024 |
| Arran Manor Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2025 |
| Ashgate House Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2024 |
| Ashking House Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2025 |
| Arnaud Lodge Pre School Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2024 |
Questions about Zaafran
What is Zaafran's food hygiene rating?
Zaafran has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Havering Council on 15 October 2025.
Is Zaafran 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 Zaafran last inspected?
Zaafran was last inspected on 15 October 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Havering Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Zaafran?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Zaafran compare to other places in Havering?
72% of the 1,646 rated food businesses in Havering hold the top rating of 5, while Zaafran holds a 2. 19 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Havering Council inspects Zaafran 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 Zaafran 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 Havering, 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: Havering
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Zaafran is one of 777 rated food businesses in Romford. See every hygiene rating in Romford →
Havering inspects and rates 2,040 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Havering →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.havering.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 →