Empress Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Southampton
Empress Cafe holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
This rating dates from 5 June 2024, but the business has been re-inspected and a new rating is awaiting publication, so the score shown here is about to change.
Address: Unit 21A, Carlton Commerce Centre, Dukes Road, SO14 0SQ
How it compares in Southampton
In Southampton, 68% of rated places manage a 5, so Empress Cafe sits behind roughly 1,016 nearby businesses. 19% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,016 | 68% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 278 | 19% | ← Empress Cafe | |
| 3 out of 5 | 146 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 21 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 218 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety 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 Empress 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 Empress Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi Stores Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 243 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Boulder Shack Climbing Gym Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 344 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2026 |
| Anesti Limited Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 May 2024 |
| Al Baraka Superstore Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 January 2026 |
| Budwood Gordon Avenue Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2024 |
| Brookvale House Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 June 2026 |
| Antelope House Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 September 2025 |
| Bright Horizons Portswood Day Nursery and Preschool Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 October 2025 |
Questions about Empress Cafe
What is Empress Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Empress Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Southampton Council on 5 June 2024.
Is Empress Cafe safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Empress Cafe last inspected?
Empress Cafe was last inspected on 5 June 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Southampton Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Empress Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Empress Cafe compare to other places in Southampton?
68% of the 1,486 rated food businesses in Southampton hold the top rating of 5, while Empress Cafe holds a 4. 278 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Southampton Council inspects Empress 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 Empress 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
Southampton inspects and rates 1,704 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Southampton →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southampton.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 →