Desi biryani food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Harrow
Desi biryani holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the takeaway and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Desi biryani was inspected on 5 August 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 5% of rated food businesses in Harrow score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Harrow ratings →
Address: 222 Northolt Road, South Harrow, HA2 8DU
How this rating has changed
Desi biryani has gone backwards: it held a 3 before its inspection on 5 August 2026, and now holds a 1. A rating of 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 5 August 2026 | 3 1 | Worse |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Harrow
A 1 is rare: only 20 of 1,560 rated places in Harrow score this low, about one in 78. By contrast 61% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 958 | 61% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 356 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 153 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 66 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ← Desi biryani | |
| 0 out of 5 | 7 | <1% |
A further 335 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 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 Desi biryani 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 Desi biryani, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam's Burgers Takeaway/sandwich shop | 68 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2025 |
| Abis Supermarket Other catering premises | 188 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2024 |
| Ambala Foods Ltd Retailers - other | 202 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2025 |
| Aavjo express, Unit 5, South Harrow Market Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 373 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2026 |
| Aldi Stores Ltd. Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 395 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2025 |
| Best Booze Food & Wine Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 April 2024 |
| Asda Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 May 2025 |
| Battels Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 September 2024 |
Questions about Desi biryani
What is Desi biryani's food hygiene rating?
Desi biryani has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Harrow Council on 5 August 2026.
Is Desi biryani safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The takeaway 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 Desi biryani last inspected?
Desi biryani was last inspected on 5 August 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Harrow Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Desi biryani?
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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Desi biryani compare to other places in Harrow?
61% of the 1,560 rated food businesses in Harrow hold the top rating of 5, while Desi biryani holds a 1. 20 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Harrow Council inspects Desi biryani 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 Desi biryani 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 Harrow, 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: Harrow
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Desi biryani is one of 88 rated food businesses in South Harrow. See every hygiene rating in South Harrow →
Harrow inspects and rates 1,895 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Harrow →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.harrow.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 →