Piccolo 42 food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Colchester
Piccolo 42 holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
This is a fresh result: Piccolo 42 was inspected on 4 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 42 North Hill, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1PY
How it compares in Colchester
That puts Piccolo 42 among the 1,200 places in Colchester holding top marks, 89% 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,200 | 89% | ← Piccolo 42 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 83 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 50 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 302 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Good
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 Piccolo 42 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 Piccolo 42, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask Italian Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 March 2025 |
| Adamexpo Limited Retailers - other | 94 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2025 |
| Brunch Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 140 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2025 |
| Basca Indian Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 142 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2026 |
| Chappells Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 206 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 October 2022 |
| Caffe Nero at Fenwicks Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 222 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2025 |
| Carluccio's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 222 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2023 |
| Burger King Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 304 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
Questions about Piccolo 42
What is Piccolo 42's food hygiene rating?
Piccolo 42 has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Colchester Council on 4 June 2026.
Is Piccolo 42 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Piccolo 42 last inspected?
Piccolo 42 was last inspected on 4 June 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Colchester Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Piccolo 42?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Piccolo 42 compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,349 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, and Piccolo 42 is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects Piccolo 42 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 Piccolo 42 and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Colchester inspects and rates 1,651 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Colchester →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.colchester.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 →