The Baobab food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · West Berkshire
The Baobab 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 17 November 2016, more than 9 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 3 West End Road, Mortimer Common, Reading, RG7 3TB
How it compares in West Berkshire
That puts The Baobab among the 932 places in West Berkshire holding top marks, 86% 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 | 932 | 86% | ← The Baobab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 93 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 46 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 163 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 Baobab 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 Baobab, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortimer Bistro Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 47 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2025 |
| Co-op Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 65 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2024 |
| Morrisons Daily Retailers - other | 72 yards away | 4 - Good | 3 October 2024 |
| Loon Tin Takeaway/sandwich shop | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2025 |
| Mortimer Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 260 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 March 2026 |
| M’s Bakes Other catering premises | 343 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Perfect Parties Other catering premises | 409 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| The Turners Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2026 |
Questions about The Baobab
What is The Baobab's food hygiene rating?
The Baobab has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by West Berkshire Council on 17 November 2016.
Is The Baobab 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 Baobab last inspected?
The Baobab was last inspected on 17 November 2016, more than 9 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Berkshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Baobab?
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 Baobab compare to other places in West Berkshire?
86% of the 1,090 rated food businesses in West Berkshire hold the top rating of 5, and The Baobab is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
West Berkshire Council inspects The Baobab 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 Baobab and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
West Berkshire inspects and rates 1,253 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Berkshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.westberks.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 →