The Link Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · York
The Link 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 20 January 2026, 5 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: Church Lane, Innovation Way, Heslington, YO10 5DQ
How it compares in York
That puts The Link Cafe among the 1,378 places in York holding top marks, 74% 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 | 1,378 | 74% | ← The Link Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 314 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 106 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 38 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 297 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 The Link 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 Link Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beehive Pre-School Playgroup Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2026 |
| Badger Hill Primary School School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2025 |
| Bell's Cakes & Sweets Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2020 |
| 52 Broadway Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2024 |
| Archbishop Holgate's School School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2024 |
| ABM Catering @ St Oswalds C E Primary School School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2026 |
| Bamboo Thai Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2025 |
| BP Jorvik (M&S) Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 October 2024 |
Questions about The Link Cafe
What is The Link Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Link Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by York Council on 20 January 2026.
Is The Link 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 Link Cafe last inspected?
The Link Cafe was last inspected on 20 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by York Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Link 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 The Link Cafe compare to other places in York?
74% of the 1,854 rated food businesses in York hold the top rating of 5, and The Link Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
York Council inspects The Link 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 Link 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 Link Cafe is one of 29 rated food businesses in Heslington. See every hygiene rating in Heslington →
York inspects and rates 2,151 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in York →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.york.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 →