Steam food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Braintree
Steam holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the restaurant that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 2 February 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: Braintree Railway Station, Station Approach, Braintree, CM7 3QL
How it compares in Braintree
A 2 is rare: only 8 of 1,156 rated places in Braintree score this low, about one in 145. By contrast 85% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 980 | 85% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 125 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 34 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ← Steam | |
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 111 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- 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 Steam the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
What the business says
<p> 25/2/26 - I agree with the inspection results but have since carried out the following improvements&nbsp;</p> <p> &middot;&nbsp; The establishment has been thoroughly cleaned and procedures are in place to ensure that cleanliness is maintained.&nbsp;</p> <p> &middot;&nbsp; The establishment has been or will shortly be fully renovated.&nbsp;</p> <p> &middot;&nbsp; The staff have been trained/re-trained/given instruction/are under revised supervisory arrangements&nbsp;</p> <p> We appreciate the council&rsquo;s visit and take food safety seriously. The sole point noted was a sink, which was installed immediately after. We were informed that with that fitted we would&rsquo;ve been a clear 5 rating, all our food safety and hygiene procedures were spot on. However, we were told we must pay &pound;180 for a rescore, which we feel is unfair. Instead, we chose to donate that amount to charity. We remain committed to best practices and disagree with the &pound;180 fee the council request for our score that we deserve.</p>
Businesses have a right to reply to their rating. This response is published by the Food Standards Agency alongside the score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Steam, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| China Village Takeaway/sandwich shop | 241 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 January 2026 |
| Dished / Legends Pool Club Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 267 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2024 |
| Hoviwa Takeaway/sandwich shop | 319 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2025 |
| Elim Church Other catering premises | 320 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2026 |
| Best Kebab House Takeaway/sandwich shop | 349 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 April 2026 |
| Braintree Museum Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 349 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 July 2024 |
| Hong Kong Chef Takeaway/sandwich shop | 349 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 November 2025 |
| Albeenuta Ltd Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2024 |
Questions about Steam
What is Steam's food hygiene rating?
Steam has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Braintree Council on 2 February 2026.
Is Steam safe to eat at?
A 2 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 Steam last inspected?
Steam was last inspected on 2 February 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Braintree Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Steam?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Steam compare to other places in Braintree?
85% of the 1,156 rated food businesses in Braintree hold the top rating of 5, while Steam holds a 2. 8 places in the area share that rating.
Has Steam responded to its rating?
Yes. Businesses have a right to reply, published alongside the rating. Steam said: “<p> 25/2/26 - I agree with the inspection results but have since carried out the following improvements&nbsp;</p> <p> &middot;&nbsp; The establishment has been thoroughly cleaned and procedures are in place to ensure that cleanliness is maintained.&nbsp;</p> <p> &middot;&nbsp; The establishment has been or will shortly be fully renovated.&nbsp;</p> <p> &middot;&nbsp; The staff have been trained/re-trained/given instruction/are under revised supervisory arrangements&nbsp;</p> <p> We appreciate the council&rsquo;s visit and take food safety seriously. The sole point noted was a sink, which was installed immediately after. We were informed that with that fitted we would&rsquo;ve been a clear 5 rating, all our food safety and hygiene procedures were spot on. However, we were told we must pay &pound;180 for a rescore, which we feel is unfair. Instead, we chose to donate that amount to charity. We remain committed to best practices and disagree with the &pound;180 fee the council request for our score that we deserve.</p>”
Who decides the rating?
Braintree Council inspects Steam 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 Steam and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Is this your business?
A rating of 2 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 Braintree, 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: Braintree
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Braintree inspects and rates 1,267 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Braintree →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.braintree.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 →