Bench Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Islington
Bench Cafe 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 6 November 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: Bench Cafe, The Goldsmiths Centre, 42 Britton Street, EC1M 5AD
How it compares in Islington
That puts Bench Cafe among the 1,536 places in Islington holding top marks, 64% 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 | 1,536 | 64% | ← Bench Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 470 | 20% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 265 | 11% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 88 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 48 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 179 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 Bench Cafe 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 Bench Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd Generation Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 250 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2022 |
| 56 WS Wine Bar & Shop Pub/bar/nightclub | 387 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 November 2022 |
| 21 West Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 395 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2025 |
| 87 Barts Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| 1930 Coffee Company Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2026 |
| 1a Children's Centre Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 November 2024 |
| A Pinch of Salt Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 April 2026 |
| 88 Beans Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 April 2025 |
Questions about Bench Cafe
What is Bench Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Bench Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Islington Council on 6 November 2024.
Is Bench Cafe 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 Bench Cafe last inspected?
Bench Cafe was last inspected on 6 November 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Islington Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Bench Cafe?
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 Bench Cafe compare to other places in Islington?
64% of the 2,408 rated food businesses in Islington hold the top rating of 5, and Bench Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Islington Council inspects Bench Cafe 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 Bench Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Islington inspects and rates 2,587 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Islington →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.islington.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 →