Zest food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · North Devon
Zest holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Zest was inspected on 3 August 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Only 2% of rated food businesses in North Devon score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all North Devon ratings →
Address: 135 East Street, South Molton, Devon, EX36 3BU
⚠️ The lowest-rated places near Zest
These food businesses close to this one were rated 0 to 2 at their last inspection, the lowest ratings. Tap any to see why.
How this rating has changed
Zest was re-inspected on 3 August 2026 and held its rating of 1.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 3 August 2026 | 1 1 | Held |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in North Devon
A 1 is rare: only 18 of 1,319 rated places in North Devon score this low, about one in 73. By contrast 84% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,105 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 135 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 43 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ← Zest | |
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <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 Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Zest the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises and confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Zest, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shapland And Searle Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2026 |
| Town Arms Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | at this address | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2024 |
| Mays Family Butchers Retailers - other | at this address | 4 - Good | 13 March 2026 |
| Istanbul Grill & Pizza Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 53 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Grand Barista Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 March 2017 |
| Kings B&B Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 84 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2024 |
| Spar Retailers - other | 112 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| Pagoda Wok Takeaway/sandwich shop | 125 yards away | 4 - Good | 14 August 2025 |
Questions about Zest
What is Zest's food hygiene rating?
Zest has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by North Devon Council on 3 August 2026.
Is Zest safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Zest last inspected?
Zest was last inspected on 3 August 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by North Devon Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Zest?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Zest compare to other places in North Devon?
84% of the 1,319 rated food businesses in North Devon hold the top rating of 5, while Zest holds a 1. 18 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
North Devon Council inspects Zest 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 Zest and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at North Devon, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: North Devon
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Zest is one of 99 rated food businesses in South Molton. See every hygiene rating in South Molton →
North Devon inspects and rates 1,482 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in North Devon →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.northdevon.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 →