The Laughing Halibut food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · West Berkshire
The Laughing Halibut holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The takeaway 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 11 May 2026, 2 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: 18 Whitchurch Road, Pangbourne, Reading, RG8 7BP
How it compares in West Berkshire
In West Berkshire, 86% of rated places manage a 5, so The Laughing Halibut sits behind roughly 1,025 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 932 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 93 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 46 | 4% | ← The Laughing Halibut | |
| 2 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 163 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 Laughing Halibut 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 Laughing Halibut, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pangbourne Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 12 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2025 |
| Greens Of Pangbourne Retailers - other | 24 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2025 |
| The George Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 33 yards away | 4 - Good | 7 November 2024 |
| Cozze Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 33 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2026 |
| Ada Meyhane Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 72 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
| Pangbourne Working Mens Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 92 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 September 2013 |
| The Co-Operative Food Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 95 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2024 |
| The Pangbourne Cheese Shop Ltd (The Loose Larder) Retailers - other | 97 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 May 2026 |
Questions about The Laughing Halibut
What is The Laughing Halibut's food hygiene rating?
The Laughing Halibut has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by West Berkshire Council on 11 May 2026.
Is The Laughing Halibut safe to eat at?
A 3 means the takeaway 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 Laughing Halibut last inspected?
The Laughing Halibut was last inspected on 11 May 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Berkshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Laughing Halibut?
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 Laughing Halibut compare to other places in West Berkshire?
86% of the 1,090 rated food businesses in West Berkshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Laughing Halibut holds a 3. 46 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
West Berkshire Council inspects The Laughing Halibut 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 The Laughing Halibut and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Laughing Halibut is one of 37 rated food businesses in Pangbourne. See every hygiene rating in Pangbourne →
West Berkshire inspects and rates 1,253 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Berkshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.westberks.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 →