The Monkey Puzzle food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · South Oxfordshire
The Monkey Puzzle 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
The rating dates from 8 April 2025, 15 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: 18-19 Upper High Street, Thame, Oxon, OX9 3EX
How it compares in South Oxfordshire
That puts The Monkey Puzzle among the 808 places in South Oxfordshire holding top marks, 71% 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 | 808 | 71% | ← The Monkey Puzzle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 186 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 120 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 116 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 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 The Monkey Puzzle 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 Monkey Puzzle, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kali Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 63 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2024 |
| The Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 86 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2025 |
| The Cottage Bakery Retailers - other | 92 yards away | 4 - Good | 26 March 2026 |
| Thame Snooker Club Other catering premises | 92 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 October 2024 |
| Thame Fried Chicken Takeaway/sandwich shop | 131 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 June 2026 |
| Rumsey's Handmade Chocolates Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 134 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 January 2025 |
| Aamore Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 136 yards away | 4 - Good | 14 January 2026 |
| The Old Nags Head Pub/bar/nightclub | 143 yards away | 4 - Good | 29 March 2022 |
Questions about The Monkey Puzzle
What is The Monkey Puzzle's food hygiene rating?
The Monkey Puzzle has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by South Oxfordshire Council on 8 April 2025.
Is The Monkey Puzzle 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 The Monkey Puzzle last inspected?
The Monkey Puzzle was last inspected on 8 April 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by South Oxfordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Monkey Puzzle?
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 The Monkey Puzzle compare to other places in South Oxfordshire?
71% of the 1,136 rated food businesses in South Oxfordshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Monkey Puzzle is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
South Oxfordshire Council inspects The Monkey Puzzle 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 Monkey Puzzle 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 Monkey Puzzle is one of 430 rated food businesses in Oxon. See every hygiene rating in Oxon →
South Oxfordshire inspects and rates 1,252 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in South Oxfordshire →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.southoxon.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 →