A Portuguese cafe says it is “very disappointed” with its 1/5 food hygiene rating but hopes the score will change upon reinspection.

Gabriel’s By Vitor Galiano in Vicarage Road received the ‘major improvement necessary’ grade after being assessed by Watford Borough Council on March 25.

The hygienic handling of food at the cafe and sandwich bar was ‘generally satisfactory’ and the cleanliness and condition of its facilities was ‘good’.

Watford Observer: Gabriel’s By Vitor Galiano at 69 Vicarage Road.Gabriel’s By Vitor Galiano at 69 Vicarage Road. (Image: Google Maps)

But the management of food safety was judged to need "major improvement", which includes the eatery’s system to make sure food is safe to eat, and evidence that staff know about food safety.

A Gabriel’s spokesperson said the inspection came after the restaurant shut for two weeks for renovations to make it a “more comforting and clean environment”, and that it had been unable to find certain documents at the time.

Watford Observer: Inside Gabriel’s By Vitor Galiano, which closed for two weeks for renovations.Inside Gabriel’s By Vitor Galiano, which closed for two weeks for renovations. (Image: Gabriel’s By Vitor Galiano)

They added: “I would like to say that from the first day me and my family took over the coffee shop, we have always maintained a 5-star rating, and we were very disappointed with this rating because it passes on an image of uncleanliness for a business.

“But in our case it was purely down to these missing documents due to them having been misplaced during the work being done.”

The restaurant has since been revisited on Tuesday, April 30, when they showed the documents and were apparently told they must wait three months from the first visit to be regraded.

It is the latest of several low food hygiene ratings for Watford eateries after three were rated 1/5 and 0/5 in recent weeks.

Sri Lankan restaurant Kamu Street Food in St Albans Road and HK Roast Ltd, which operates both Mr Sushi and Panda Oriental at 97 Vicarage Road, both scored 0/5 following inspections in March.

An appeal by the owners of Kamu Street Food was denied meaning it remains one of just two eateries which need ‘urgent improvement’, according to the borough council.

Pizza Hot Express, located next to Mr Sushi at 99 Vicarage Road, was also rated 1/5 for food hygiene after it was visited on March 13.

Manager Ibrahim Yalabadi told the Watford Observer that a reinspection has already been arranged but the rating has yet to change online.