Tokyo Choice food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · St Albans City
Tokyo Choice 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
The rating dates from 20 March 2026, 3 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: 125 Southdown Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 1QQ
How it compares in St Albans City
A 1 is rare: only 10 of 1,058 rated places in St Albans City score this low, about one in 106. By contrast 77% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 818 | 77% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 63 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ← Tokyo Choice | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 105 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Major improvement necessary
- 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 Tokyo Choice the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled 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 Tokyo Choice, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lazy Bear Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 46 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 June 2024 |
| Cafe Aroma Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2024 |
| Bentozo Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 April 2026 |
| Co-op Food Harpenden Retailers - other | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2025 |
| Harpenden Springs Care Home Caring Premises | 244 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2026 |
| Harpenden Cricket Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 May 2025 |
| Fusion Childcare Services Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 February 2026 |
| CareTech - Meadow Acres Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 July 2025 |
Questions about Tokyo Choice
What is Tokyo Choice's food hygiene rating?
Tokyo Choice has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by St Albans City Council on 20 March 2026.
Is Tokyo Choice 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 Tokyo Choice last inspected?
Tokyo Choice was last inspected on 20 March 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Albans City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Tokyo Choice?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", 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 Tokyo Choice compare to other places in St Albans City?
77% of the 1,058 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, while Tokyo Choice holds a 1. 10 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects Tokyo Choice 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 Tokyo Choice 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 St Albans City, 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: St Albans City
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Tokyo Choice is one of 193 rated food businesses in Harpenden. See every hygiene rating in Harpenden →
St Albans City inspects and rates 1,163 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Albans City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/business/Health-and-safety/food-safety/foodHygieneRating.aspx
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 →