Leaf Cafe Bistro food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Islington
Leaf Cafe Bistro holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 7 November 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: Leaf Cafe Bistro, Ground Floor, 100 Essex Road, N1 8LU
How it compares in Islington
A 1 is rare: only 47 of 2,406 rated places in Islington score this low, about one in 51. By contrast 64% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,536 | 64% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 469 | 19% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 265 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 88 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 47 | 2% | ← Leaf Cafe Bistro | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 181 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 Major improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Leaf Cafe Bistro the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises and confidence in management. 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 Leaf Cafe Bistro, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63 Degrees Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 March 2022 |
| 4YouExpress Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2026 |
| 1 Rebel Gym Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 June 2025 |
| 45 White Lion Street Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 August 2022 |
| 320 Cale Off Licence & Post Office Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2017 |
| 1930 Coffee Company Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2026 |
| 13th Floor Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2024 |
| A Pinch of Salt Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 April 2026 |
Questions about Leaf Cafe Bistro
What is Leaf Cafe Bistro's food hygiene rating?
Leaf Cafe Bistro has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Islington Council on 7 November 2025.
Is Leaf Cafe Bistro safe to eat at?
A 1 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 Leaf Cafe Bistro last inspected?
Leaf Cafe Bistro was last inspected on 7 November 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Islington Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Leaf Cafe Bistro?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Leaf Cafe Bistro compare to other places in Islington?
64% of the 2,406 rated food businesses in Islington hold the top rating of 5, while Leaf Cafe Bistro holds a 1. 47 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Islington Council inspects Leaf Cafe Bistro 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 Leaf Cafe Bistro 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 1 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 Islington, 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: Islington
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Leaf Cafe Bistro is one of 264 rated food businesses in Ground Floor. See every hygiene rating in Ground Floor →
Islington inspects and rates 2,587 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Islington →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.islington.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 →