Two restaurants inside the historic Old War Offices in Whitehall have been given one star hygiene ratings.
The historic government palace officially reopened this September, marking the first time the public had been allowed inside the building for more than a century.
Inspectors from Westminster City Council gave Cafe Laperouse London a hygiene rating of one following an inspection on November 1.
The restaurant’s menu shows it charges £19 for onion soup and up to £80 for main courses.
The council inspectors said major improvements were needed in the management of food safety.
Cafe Laperouse London told the Standard shortly after opening “it became clear that the initial advice received on food safety was insufficient”.
The restaurant said in a statement: “Since Westminster City Council's initial visit, 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.
“We have been in regular communication with Westminster City Council and have invited them for a follow-up visit. This inspection was to ensure that all previously identified issues were rectified, in anticipation of an official re-rating before Christmas.”
Inspectors also gave Paper Moon Restaurant a hygiene rating of one following an inspection on November 2.
Hygiene inspectors said major improvement was needed in the restaurant’s “handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage”.
The Italian restaurant charges £25 for some pasta dishes and up to £48 for main courses.
Paper Moon London told the Standard it has “established that a selection of health guidelines had not been fully implemented”.
The restaurant said in a statement: “Paper Moon London stresses its commitment to food and hygiene safety regulations and procedures.
“Following the EHO inspection, Paper Moon London has worked to rectify those issues with immediate effect, alongside external consultancies to ensure any outstanding issues are addressed in an appropriate, time-conscious, and thorough manner.
“Since the initial EHO inspection which identified issues, the team at Paper Moon has been in regular communication with EHO to update them on the necessary changes and demonstrate full implementation on all the recommended health and safety procedures.”
The restaurant said a further inspection is scheduled before Christmas.
The Old War Office is home to five independent restaurants as well as the 120-room Raffles London hotel and 85 residences, with prices starting at £4 million for a one-bed property.
The vast former headquarters of the British Empire’s military, where Winston Churchill had an office, was sold by the Ministry of Defence for £350 million in 2016 because it was ruled surplus to requirements.
The Grade II building has four postcodes and more than four kilometres of corridors.
The Raffles Hotel also has seven of its own restaurants and bars. Cafe Laperouse and Paper Moon are both independently managed.
The restaurants at the Raffles Hotel have been given a hygiene rating of 4 out of 5, a spokesperson for the Old War Offices (OWO) told the Standard.
The OWO said in a statement: “Both restaurants received a Food Hygiene Rating of 1 out of 5 and as soon as these establishments were advised of these ratings, they immediately took measures to address the identified issues.
“The restaurants remain open, and their teams have been working closely with Westminster Council Environmental Health to complete the necessary improvements."
