The Water Lily food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Medway
The Water Lily 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: The Water Lily was inspected on 27 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 40 North Street, Strood, Rochester, ME2 4SN
How it compares in Medway
That puts The Water Lily among the 1,577 places in Medway 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,577 | 80% | ← The Water Lily | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 279 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 171 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Water Lily 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 Water Lily, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beybaba Takeaway/sandwich shop | 124 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 November 2025 |
| All Faiths Childrens Academy Breakfa School/college/university | 172 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2026 |
| Asda Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 181 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 September 2025 |
| Asankabites Restaurant Other catering premises | 182 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2026 |
| Candilicious Mobile caterer | 209 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 October 2025 |
| African Shop Ltd Retailers - other | 365 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2025 |
| B\&M Retailers - other | 377 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2026 |
| Bryant Road Newsagents Retailers - other | 419 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 November 2024 |
Questions about The Water Lily
What is The Water Lily's food hygiene rating?
The Water Lily has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Medway Council on 27 May 2026.
Is The Water Lily 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 Water Lily last inspected?
The Water Lily was last inspected on 27 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Medway Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Water Lily?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Water Lily compare to other places in Medway?
80% of the 1,964 rated food businesses in Medway hold the top rating of 5, and The Water Lily is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Medway Council inspects The Water Lily 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 Water Lily 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 Water Lily is one of 531 rated food businesses in Rochester. See every hygiene rating in Rochester →
Medway inspects and rates 2,135 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Medway →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.medway.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 →