Café Laperouse at OWO London turns hygiene rating around

Having been criticised for poor hygiene practices following its opening at the Old War Office (OWO) development in London, Café Laperouse has received top marks from inspectors after a second visit.

Earlier this week, Café Laperouse was reported to be one of two high-profile London restaurants within the OWO to have been awarded one out of five for food hygiene practises after inspectors found "major improvement" was necessary.

Café Laperouse and the Paper Moon restaurant were thrown into the spotlight over the weekend following a review of Café Lapérouse in the Observer. The newspaper's food critic, Jay Rayner, posted an image on his Instagram account of the high-end Parisian restaurant's food hygiene rating of one, the second-lowest score which means "major improvement" was necessary, after a reader brought it to his attention.

According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Café Laperouse’s low rating was predominantly due to the restaurant's management of food safety. Standards around hygienic food handling and the cleanliness and condition of facilities and the building scored slightly higher, but were still flagged with "improvement necessary".

Both Café Lapérouse and Paper Moon, which operate independently next door to the new Raffles London hotel within the OWO, insisted all required improvements had been made following the inspections.

It has now been confirmed that Café Lapérouse has scored a rating of five out of five following a re-rating visit by Westminster City Council a few weeks ago.

A spokesperson for the restaurant said: “We take this opportunity to emphasize our commitment to the health and safety of our patrons. Shortly after opening, it became clear that the initial advice received on food safety was insufficient. As a result, we engaged new consultants to ensure full compliance with UK Food and Health and Safety laws and standards.

“Since Westminster City Council's initial visit, few weeks after opening, we have implemented all the necessary improvements. Regular internal and third-party food safety audits are being conducted to maintain these improvements. A thorough review of our food safety documentation has also been completed.”

The OWO opened in September 2023 and houses four independent restaurants.

The Raffles London hotel within the historic OWO building itself operates a further five restaurants, including three by chef Mauro Colagreco, as well as the Drawing Room and Pillar Kitchen.

The Caterer has been informed by Raffles that its own five restaurants have recently been inspected by the FSA, and given an overall rating of four out of five, but this yet to be published on the FSA's website.