Sahara Shisha food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Belfast City
Sahara Shisha holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
This is a fresh result: Sahara Shisha was inspected on 28 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 19 Botanic Avenue, BT7 1JG
How it compares in Belfast City
A 1 is rare: only 24 of 2,919 rated places in Belfast City score this low, about one in 122. By contrast 73% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,118 | 73% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 501 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 230 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 46 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ← Sahara Shisha | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 253 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Sahara Shisha the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled and confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Sahara Shisha, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alibi Pub/bar/nightclub | 137 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2018 |
| Bao Bun Takeaway/sandwich shop | 211 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 December 2023 |
| Apache Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 252 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2025 |
| Archana Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 320 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2024 |
| Acute Mental Health Unit Caring Premises | 440 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 September 2024 |
| Alif Supermarket Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2025 |
| Baker & Chef Manufacturers/packers | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2026 |
| BABS Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2025 |
Questions about Sahara Shisha
What is Sahara Shisha's food hygiene rating?
Sahara Shisha has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Belfast City Council on 28 May 2026.
Is Sahara Shisha safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Sahara Shisha last inspected?
Sahara Shisha was last inspected on 28 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Belfast City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Sahara Shisha?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Sahara Shisha compare to other places in Belfast City?
73% of the 2,919 rated food businesses in Belfast City hold the top rating of 5, while Sahara Shisha holds a 1. 24 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Belfast City Council inspects Sahara Shisha 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 Sahara Shisha 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Belfast City, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Belfast City
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Belfast City inspects and rates 3,172 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Belfast City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/buildingcontrol-environment/foodsafety/consumers-foodhygienescheme.aspx
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 →