The Axe and Ember Smokehouse food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Waltham Forest
The Axe and Ember Smokehouse holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 17 January 2026, 5 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: 41 Orford Road, Walthamstow, E17 9NL
How it compares in Waltham Forest
In Waltham Forest, 51% of rated places manage a 5, so The Axe and Ember Smokehouse sits behind roughly 1,376 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 51% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 427 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 267 | 14% | ← The Axe and Ember Smokehouse | |
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 131 | 7% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 61 | 3% |
A further 131 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 Generally satisfactory
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 Axe and Ember Smokehouse none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Axe and Ember Smokehouse, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspens Services at Barclay's Primary School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Alpha Steps Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2025 |
| Atdheu Caffe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
| Arfan Supermarket Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2024 |
| Admiral Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 December 2024 |
| Aytun Mini Market Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2024 |
| Alytus Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2025 |
| Afters Walthamstow Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
Questions about The Axe and Ember Smokehouse
What is The Axe and Ember Smokehouse's food hygiene rating?
The Axe and Ember Smokehouse has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Waltham Forest Council on 17 January 2026.
Is The Axe and Ember Smokehouse safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Axe and Ember Smokehouse last inspected?
The Axe and Ember Smokehouse was last inspected on 17 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Waltham Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Axe and Ember Smokehouse?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Axe and Ember Smokehouse compare to other places in Waltham Forest?
51% of the 1,865 rated food businesses in Waltham Forest hold the top rating of 5, while The Axe and Ember Smokehouse holds a 3. 267 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Waltham Forest Council inspects The Axe and Ember Smokehouse 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.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Axe and Ember Smokehouse is one of 773 rated food businesses in Walthamstow. See every hygiene rating in Walthamstow →
Waltham Forest inspects and rates 1,996 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Waltham Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.walthamforest.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 →