The Dog Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Southend-On-Sea
The Dog 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 23 April 2026, 2 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: 34 Barnstaple Road, Thorpe Bay, Essex, SS1 3PA
How it compares in Southend-On-Sea
That puts The Dog Cafe among the 973 places in Southend-On-Sea holding top marks, 70% 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 | 973 | 70% | ← The Dog Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 243 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 119 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 35 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 16 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 105 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Dog 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 Dog Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadway Fruits Retailers - other | 202 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 May 2024 |
| Cafe Masala Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 260 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 March 2026 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 282 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2023 |
| Bournes Green Service Station Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2025 |
| Bournes Green Stores Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2023 |
| Boulevard Lodge Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2025 |
| Camp 4 Champs School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 July 2024 |
| Asda Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2024 |
Questions about The Dog Cafe
What is The Dog Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Dog Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Southend-On-Sea Council on 23 April 2026.
Is The Dog 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 Dog Cafe last inspected?
The Dog Cafe was last inspected on 23 April 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Southend-On-Sea Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Dog Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Dog Cafe compare to other places in Southend-On-Sea?
70% of the 1,387 rated food businesses in Southend-On-Sea hold the top rating of 5, and The Dog Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Southend-On-Sea Council inspects The Dog 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 Dog 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 Dog Cafe is one of 30 rated food businesses in Thorpe Bay. See every hygiene rating in Thorpe Bay →
Southend-On-Sea inspects and rates 1,492 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Southend-On-Sea →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southend.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 →