REX Cafe food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Barnet
REX Cafe holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 5 August 2025, 11 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: 164 Ballards Lane London, N3 2PA
How it compares in Barnet
A 1 is rare: only 44 of 2,354 rated places in Barnet score this low, about one in 54. By contrast 60% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,423 | 60% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 574 | 24% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 226 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 84 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 44 | 2% | ← REX Cafe | |
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 513 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 REX Cafe the inspector recorded concerns over 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 REX Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annie's Freehouse Pub/bar/nightclub | 13 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 May 2021 |
| A - Z Grocers Retailers - other | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 May 2025 |
| B Green Retailers - other | 193 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 May 2022 |
| Basilico Takeaway/sandwich shop | 213 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 April 2026 |
| Boulangerie Bon Matin Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 388 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 May 2025 |
| Betty's Bike Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2026 |
| Bluebelles Of Portobello Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2026 |
| Baytree Lodge Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2024 |
Questions about REX Cafe
What is REX Cafe's food hygiene rating?
REX Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Barnet Council on 5 August 2025.
Is REX Cafe safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop 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 REX Cafe last inspected?
REX Cafe was last inspected on 5 August 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Barnet Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at REX Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 REX Cafe compare to other places in Barnet?
60% of the 2,354 rated food businesses in Barnet hold the top rating of 5, while REX Cafe holds a 1. 44 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Barnet Council inspects REX Cafe 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 REX Cafe 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 Barnet, 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: Barnet
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Barnet inspects and rates 2,867 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Barnet →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.barnet.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 →