Highams Lounge food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Waltham Forest
Highams Lounge 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 15 October 2025, 9 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: 14 The Avenue, Chingford, E4 9LD
How it compares in Waltham Forest
That puts Highams Lounge among the 949 places in Waltham Forest holding top marks, 51% 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 | 949 | 51% | ← Highams Lounge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 427 | 23% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 267 | 14% | ||
| 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 Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building 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 Highams Lounge 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 Highams Lounge, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 The Avenue Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 82 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
| Biba and Wren Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 148 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 August 2025 |
| Barrel & Havana Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2025 |
Questions about Highams Lounge
What is Highams Lounge's food hygiene rating?
Highams Lounge has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Waltham Forest Council on 15 October 2025.
Is Highams Lounge 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 Highams Lounge last inspected?
Highams Lounge was last inspected on 15 October 2025, 9 months 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 Highams Lounge?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Highams Lounge compare to other places in Waltham Forest?
51% of the 1,865 rated food businesses in Waltham Forest hold the top rating of 5, and Highams Lounge is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Waltham Forest Council inspects Highams Lounge 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 Highams Lounge and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Highams Lounge is one of 355 rated food businesses in Chingford. See every hygiene rating in Chingford →
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 →