1,117 food businesses inspected. Average rating: 4.7 out of 5. 78.1% rated "very good".
Food hygiene ratings in St Albans City are assessed under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS), operated by the Food Standards Agency in partnership with local authorities. Every food business that handles, stores, prepares, or sells food is inspected by trained environmental health officers. Ratings run from 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good). The inspection covers hygienic food handling, the physical condition of the premises, and how food safety is managed.
St Albans City currently has 1,117 registered food businesses. Of these, 1,042 have been rated under the FHRS. The area performs broadly in line with the national average, with 78.1% rated 5 out of 5. The average rating across the authority is 4.7 out of 5. There are currently 11 businesses rated 0 or 1, meaning they require urgent or major improvement to meet food hygiene standards.
If you are eating out in this area, look for the green FHRS sticker displayed at the entrance of food premises. Businesses rated 3 or above are generally considered satisfactory, but a rating of 5 gives the strongest assurance. If a business has a low rating, it does not necessarily mean the food is unsafe right now, as improvements may have been made since the last inspection, but it does indicate that significant issues were found.
| Name | Address | Rating | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Elephant and Castle | AL4 8EA | 0 | Dec 31, 2025 |
| Bar 309 | AL5 4SA | 1 | Jul 21, 2022 |
| Gourmet Kitchen | AL3 5AS | 1 | Aug 30, 2025 |
| Handy Shop | AL3 7HY | 1 | Jan 17, 2025 |
| Harris Hoole | AL5 2TA | 1 | Jan 13, 2026 |
| Med Meat Shop | AL1 4JL | 1 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| Premier Convenience | AL1 1NX | 1 | Dec 17, 2024 |
| Siris Authentic Greek Food | WD5 | 1 | Aug 01, 2025 |
| The Portland Arms | AL3 4RA | 1 | Jan 17, 2026 |
| Tops Pizza | AL1 1PQ | 1 | Jan 31, 2026 |
| VILLA 2 LOUNGE BAR, | AL1 3XQ | 1 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| artichoke bake and more | AL5 2TL | 2 | Oct 02, 2025 |
| Buzz In, Buzz Out | AL1 5HE | 2 | Jul 30, 2024 |
| Cinnamon | AL5 4ES | 2 | Jul 12, 2025 |
| JTB Butchers | AL3 6JB | 2 | Oct 02, 2025 |
There are currently 814 food businesses in St Albans City with the highest FHRS rating of 5 (Very Good), representing 78.1% of all rated establishments. A rating of 5 means that the business was found to have very good hygiene standards at the time of inspection.
A food hygiene rating of 1 means 'Major Improvement Necessary'. This indicates that the food business was found to have significant problems with hygiene standards during its most recent inspection. The business is required to make substantial improvements. While it can remain open, it should be re-inspected to confirm improvements have been made.
Inspection frequency in St Albans City depends on the risk level of the business. High-risk establishments (such as those with previous low ratings) may be inspected every 6 months, while low-risk businesses with a consistent rating of 5 may only be inspected every 2-3 years. The local authority's environmental health team manages the inspection schedule.