L'Hirondelle food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Waltham Forest
L'Hirondelle holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant 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
This is a fresh result: L'Hirondelle was inspected on 16 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 160 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17 4QH
How it compares in Waltham Forest
In Waltham Forest, 51% of rated places manage a 5, so L'Hirondelle sits behind roughly 1,376 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 51% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 427 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 267 | 14% | ← L'Hirondelle | |
| 2 out of 5 | 30 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 131 | 7% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 61 | 3% |
A further 131 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 L'Hirondelle 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 L'Hirondelle, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admiral Retailers - other | 345 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 December 2024 |
| Afters Walthamstow Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| 1st Stepping Stones Nursery Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2026 |
| Aramark at Waltham Forest College Cafes School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| Aspens Services at Barclay's Primary School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Afrobbean Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2025 |
| Alpha Steps Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2025 |
| Acorn Day Opportunies Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2025 |
Questions about L'Hirondelle
What is L'Hirondelle's food hygiene rating?
L'Hirondelle has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Waltham Forest Council on 16 May 2026.
Is L'Hirondelle safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant 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 L'Hirondelle last inspected?
L'Hirondelle was last inspected on 16 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Waltham Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at L'Hirondelle?
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 L'Hirondelle compare to other places in Waltham Forest?
51% of the 1,865 rated food businesses in Waltham Forest hold the top rating of 5, while L'Hirondelle holds a 3. 267 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Waltham Forest Council inspects L'Hirondelle 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 L'Hirondelle and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
L'Hirondelle is one of 773 rated food businesses in Walthamstow. See every hygiene rating in Walthamstow →
Waltham Forest inspects and rates 1,996 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Waltham Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.walthamforest.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 →