5

Monks Head food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Tonbridge and Malling

Monks Head holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 1 April 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: 44 New Hythe Lane, Larkfield, Aylesford, ME20 6PN

How it compares in Tonbridge and Malling

That puts Monks Head among the 771 places in Tonbridge and Malling holding top marks, 80% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.

Every rated food business in Tonbridge and Malling
5 out of 5 771 80% ← Monks Head
4 out of 5 123 13%
3 out of 5 56 6%
2 out of 5 18 2%
1 out of 5 0 0%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 84 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Monks Head 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 Monks Head, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Arthur's Family Butchers Retailers - other 147 yards away 5 - Very good 13 January 2026
Dawn To Dusk Day Nursery Caring Premises 160 yards away 5 - Very good 17 April 2025
Best Wok Takeaway/sandwich shop 168 yards away 5 - Very good 5 August 2025
Alim-Et Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 198 yards away 5 - Very good 25 June 2025
Brookfield Breakfast Club School/college/university 343 yards away 5 - Very good 7 November 2023
Flourish Food At Brookfield Infant School School/college/university 343 yards away 5 - Very good 24 September 2024
Flourish Food At Brookfield Junior School School/college/university 343 yards away 5 - Very good 24 September 2024
BaxterStorey Other catering premises 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 20 January 2026

Questions about Monks Head

What is Monks Head's food hygiene rating?

Monks Head has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Tonbridge and Malling Council on 1 April 2026.

Is Monks Head safe to eat at?

The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was Monks Head last inspected?

Monks Head was last inspected on 1 April 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Tonbridge and Malling Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Monks Head?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does Monks Head compare to other places in Tonbridge and Malling?

80% of the 968 rated food businesses in Tonbridge and Malling hold the top rating of 5, and Monks Head is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Tonbridge and Malling Council inspects Monks Head 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 Monks Head and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Monks Head is one of 119 rated food businesses in Aylesford. See every hygiene rating in Aylesford

Tonbridge and Malling inspects and rates 1,052 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Tonbridge and Malling

The official record is held by the council: http://www.tmbc.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 →