Restaurants in Oxford with the best and worst food hygiene ratings in 2021

We are looking back through 2021 to see some of top rated and low rated restaurants and even those that have changed it around.

Dirty kitchens neglected paperwork and even infestations can be some of the grim causes for restaurants to get a one or even a zero-star food hygiene rating from the council.

Restaurants across the county are routinely visited by a food hygiene inspector from the council and given a rating of zero to five.

What do the numbers mean?

0 - urgent improvement necessary

1 - major improvements necessary

2 - improvements necessary

3 - business generally satisfactory

4 - business good on assessment

5 - business seen as very good

TOP STARS

Porterhouse Grill and Rooms

The steakhouse on 68-69 Mill Street in Oxford was marked ‘very good’ by inspectors in May 2021. The manager of The Porterhouse, Chris, said he was pleased the restaurant and hotel had been given a five star food hygiene rating, but explained that five stars should be the standard.

Hubble & Home

The Guastro pub on Abingdon road scored five stars on Tripadvisor and by hygiene inspectors. Previously the pub had been called The Berkshire House,the Crooked Pot, the Berkshire and Home until it closed in February 2020. Hubble & Home opened in summer 2020, but now the pub has returned to its original name The Berkshire under new owners.

Erdem Food Centre

The supermarket and butchers on Cowley Road was revisited by food hygiene inspectors from Oxford City Council and given a ‘good’ rating of four stars out of five possible stars in April. In 2020, the shop was given a score of just one, but managers turned it around this year.

Brets burgers

The restaurant that has built a reputation for having ‘the best burgers in Oxford’ scored five stars in May. Brets burgers on Marriotts Walk in Witney s specialises in burgers, steaks and cocktails and started serving food in Oxford in the late 70s and early 80s on the Cowley Road.

Gourdans Steak Frites

The gourmet steak restaurant has scored top marks in its food hygiene inspection after it moved from a van to a dine-in restaurant. Established in 2015, the business, run by Matt Jeffery and his wife Tina, first started out in a van serving gourmet steak and chips and competing with the city centre kebab vans. Gourdans Steak Frites opened a restaurant at 49 St Clement’s Street in October 2020.

Za’atar Bake

The East Oxford bakery and cafe with excellent reviews scored a five-star hygiene rating turning it around from just two stars in 2019. Cafe owner Mahmoud Al-Hadad with the help of his business partner and head chef, Ahmad Mohamad, Za’atar Bake has top marks and has its food hygiene paperwork in order. Mr Al-Hadad said: “It is good, and we are going to keep it that way.”

Chicken Cottage

The takeaway on 107 Cowley Road cored a top food hygiene rating after a new owner transformed it from a three star food hygiene rating. Ali Rameez, 32 has been the owner of Chicken Cottage on Cowley Road in Oxford since November 2019.

When he first bought the store it only had a food hygiene rating of three stars, however, after lots of hard work Mr Rameez managed to transform the chicken shop.

LOW SCORES

Acorn News

Acorn News on 49 St Nicholas Road in Oxford, went from a four-star food hygiene rating to just two after its fridge was found to be 16 degrees. The shop was inspected on July 21 and was told that improvement was necessary.

Chicken R&G

Chicken R&G on St Clement’s in East Oxford was inspected on January 12 and was given a one star rating. The main reasons for the takeaway’s low score was due to inspectors finding out-of-date food in the

fridge and freezer. However, the takeaway has since closed.

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