South Park Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Darlington
South Park 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 3 April 2025, 15 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: Cafe, South Park, Parkside, DL1 5TG
How it compares in Darlington
That puts South Park Cafe among the 755 places in Darlington holding top marks, 90% 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 | 755 | 90% | ← South Park Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 48 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 19 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 6 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 79 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building 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 South Park 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 South Park Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe JJ Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 January 2026 |
| Blackwell Grange Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2025 |
| Blackwell Grange Golf Club Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2024 |
| Bannatyne Hotel Darlington Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2026 |
| Auton Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 January 2023 |
| Clervaux Life Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 December 2023 |
| Blackwell Store Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 July 2024 |
| Age Uk (Cafe And The Arcade Dementia Centre) Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2025 |
Questions about South Park Cafe
What is South Park Cafe's food hygiene rating?
South Park Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Darlington Council on 3 April 2025.
Is South Park 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 South Park Cafe last inspected?
South Park Cafe was last inspected on 3 April 2025, 15 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Darlington Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at South Park Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does South Park Cafe compare to other places in Darlington?
90% of the 836 rated food businesses in Darlington hold the top rating of 5, and South Park Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Darlington Council inspects South Park 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 South Park Cafe 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
Darlington inspects and rates 915 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Darlington →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.darlington.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 →