The Epping Forest Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Epping Forest
The Epping Forest Cafe 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 11 August 2025, 10 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: Forest Lodge Main House, High Road, Epping, CM16 5HW
How it compares in Epping Forest
A 1 is rare: only 11 of 910 rated places in Epping Forest score this low, about one in 83. By contrast 84% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 760 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 96 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 36 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ← The Epping Forest Cafe | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 148 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 The Epping Forest 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 The Epping Forest Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crest Sales Ltd Retailers - other | 108 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2024 |
| Cafe Mosaic Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2025 |
| Gunmakers Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 July 2023 |
| Green Olive Traditional fish&souvlaki Takeaway/sandwich shop | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2026 |
| Gourmet Kebab Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 March 2025 |
| Filika Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2025 |
| Co-op Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2024 |
| Fresh Event LTD Mobile caterer | 1.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2024 |
Questions about The Epping Forest Cafe
What is The Epping Forest Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Epping Forest Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Epping Forest Council on 11 August 2025.
Is The Epping Forest Cafe 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 The Epping Forest Cafe last inspected?
The Epping Forest Cafe was last inspected on 11 August 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Epping Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Epping Forest 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 The Epping Forest Cafe compare to other places in Epping Forest?
84% of the 910 rated food businesses in Epping Forest hold the top rating of 5, while The Epping Forest Cafe holds a 1. 11 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Epping Forest Council inspects The Epping Forest 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 The Epping Forest 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 Epping Forest, 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: Epping Forest
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Epping Forest Cafe is one of 185 rated food businesses in Epping. See every hygiene rating in Epping →
Epping Forest inspects and rates 1,058 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Epping Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eppingforestdc.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 →