The Almanac food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Birmingham
The Almanac holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the business met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 5 August 2008, more than 17 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 1 Victoria Square, Birmingham, B31 5HX
How it compares in Birmingham
That puts The Almanac among the 5,378 places in Birmingham holding top marks, 66% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 5,378 | 66% | ← The Almanac | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 1,311 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 697 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 319 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 386 | 5% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 83 | 1% |
A further 1,863 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At The Almanac none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Almanac, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alphabets @ Hollymoor Caring Premises | 373 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 January 2026 |
| Chatty Patty Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 November 2023 |
| Burger Boi Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2023 |
| Buzz Bingo Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 May 2023 |
| Busy Bees at Longbridge Birmingham Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 September 2025 |
| Church Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2017 |
| Caterplus @ ECCT Longbridge Other catering premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 May 2026 |
| Argos (in Sainsbury's) Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2018 |
Questions about The Almanac
What is The Almanac's food hygiene rating?
The Almanac has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Birmingham Council on 5 August 2008.
Is The Almanac safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this business to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Almanac last inspected?
The Almanac was last inspected on 5 August 2008, more than 17 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Birmingham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Almanac?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Almanac compare to other places in Birmingham?
66% of the 8,174 rated food businesses in Birmingham hold the top rating of 5, and The Almanac is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Birmingham Council inspects The Almanac and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch The Almanac and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Birmingham inspects and rates 10,037 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Birmingham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/environmental-health
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →