The Lift Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Folkestone and Hythe
The Lift Cafe holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 17 November 2023, more than 2 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: The Leas Lift Lower Sandgate Road, Folkestone, CT20 1PR
How it compares in Folkestone and Hythe
That puts The Lift Cafe among the 958 places in Folkestone and Hythe holding top marks, 84% 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 | 958 | 84% | ← The Lift Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 111 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 62 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 144 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 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 Lift Cafe 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 Lift Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspendos Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 156 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 September 2022 |
| Folkestone Butchers Retailers - other | 185 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2026 |
| Cake Box Retailers - other | 209 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2018 |
| Chaos Cards Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 245 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 February 2024 |
| Burger King Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 256 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 November 2025 |
| Costa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 275 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 November 2025 |
| Annapurna Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 297 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 January 2024 |
| FARL Pub/bar/nightclub | 298 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2026 |
Questions about The Lift Cafe
What is The Lift Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Lift Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Folkestone and Hythe Council on 17 November 2023.
Is The Lift Cafe 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Lift Cafe last inspected?
The Lift Cafe was last inspected on 17 November 2023, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Folkestone and Hythe Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Lift Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Lift Cafe compare to other places in Folkestone and Hythe?
84% of the 1,140 rated food businesses in Folkestone and Hythe hold the top rating of 5, and The Lift Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Folkestone and Hythe Council inspects The Lift Cafe 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 Lift Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Lift Cafe is one of 519 rated food businesses in Folkestone. See every hygiene rating in Folkestone →
Folkestone and Hythe inspects and rates 1,284 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Folkestone and Hythe →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk
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 →