The Flat Cafè food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dorset
The Flat Cafè holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 16 August 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: 78 Fortuneswell, Portland, DT5 1LZ
How it compares in Dorset
In Dorset, 95% of rated places manage a 5, so The Flat Cafè sits behind roughly 3,947 nearby businesses. 1% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,808 | 95% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ← The Flat Cafè | |
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 1,119 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Flat Cafè 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 Flat Cafè, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Pride Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2019 |
| Portland Social Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 49 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 November 2023 |
| BnB-Side Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 122 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2024 |
| Co Op Retailers - other | 122 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
| Mr Mushy's Diner Mobile caterer | 138 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 November 2025 |
| Salty Towers Takeaway/sandwich shop | 222 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2025 |
| Portland Community Venue Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 249 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 August 2019 |
| Allsorts Brackenbury School/college/university | 309 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2025 |
Questions about The Flat Cafè
What is The Flat Cafè's food hygiene rating?
The Flat Cafè has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Dorset Council on 16 August 2023.
Is The Flat Cafè safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was The Flat Cafè last inspected?
The Flat Cafè was last inspected on 16 August 2023, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Flat Cafè?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Flat Cafè compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, while The Flat Cafè holds a 3. 33 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Flat Cafè 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 Flat Cafè 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 Flat Cafè is one of 134 rated food businesses in Portland. See every hygiene rating in Portland →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,107 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →