New food hygiene ratings have been awarded to 18 venues across south Essex, the Food Standards Agency’s website shows.

The scheme gives businesses a rating from 5 to 0 which is displayed at their premises and online so you can make more informed choices about where to buy and eat food.

The following venues got the highest possible hygiene rating - five-out-of-five:

  • Billy Hundreds at The Hundreds Cafe, Eastern Esplanade, Southend; rated on July 8
  • Black & Red, 155 High Street, Southend; rated on June 11
  • Ela Ltd Southend Kebab, 1305 London Road, Leigh; rated on June 12
  • Subway at 2 Bakers Court, Paycocke Road, Basildon; rated on March 27
  • Scottie’s Ltd at Bensons Farm, Wash Road, Laindon; rated on July 2
  • Smokies Grill Basildon at 34 East Walk, Basildon; rated on July 1
  • Human Kind Cafe at 111 High Street, Billericay; rated on June 25
  • The Cosy Cup at Richdan Farm, Tye Common Road, Little Burstead, Billericay; rated on June 25
  • Basildon Disabled Sports Assoc at Swan Mead Centre, Church Road, Vange, Basildon; rated on June 20
  • Five Guys at Unit 18 Festival Leisure Park, Festival Way, Basildon, Essex; rated on June 14
  • Legends at Unit 8d Festival Leisure Park, Festival Way, Basildon, Essex; rated on June 14
  • Langdon Nature Discovery Centre at Langdon Visitor Centre, Third Avenue, Langdon Hills, Basildon; rated on June 12
  • The Castlemayne pub, The Knares, Basildon; rated on June 20

And the following eateries were given a four-out-of-five rating - meaning their hygiene standards are good:

  • Rossi's Ice Cream Parlour, 12 - 14 Western Esplanade, Westcliff; rated on June 5

  • Dragon Chef at 25 Apple Tree Way, Wickford; rated on June 6

  • Eighty K at 14 Repton Court, Basildon; rated on June 6

  • Flamingo, at 48 High Street, Billericay; rated on June 3

  • Wickford Tandoori Take Away, at 15 Lower Southend Road, Wickford; rated on June 6

What do the ratings mean?

5 – hygiene standards are very good

4 – hygiene standards are good

3 – hygiene standards are generally satisfactory

2 – some improvement is necessary

1 – major improvement is necessary

0 – urgent improvement is required