The Spice Merchant food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Antrim and Newtownabbey
The Spice Merchant 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
This is a fresh result: The Spice Merchant was inspected on 23 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: 620 Shore Road, Jordanstown, Newtownabbey, BT37 0ST
How it compares in Antrim and Newtownabbey
That puts The Spice Merchant among the 849 places in Antrim and Newtownabbey holding top marks, 87% 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 | 849 | 87% | ← The Spice Merchant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 97 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 32 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 116 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Spice Merchant, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark Bread Manufacturers/packers | 10 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2024 |
| Bureau by the Lough Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 77 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 August 2025 |
| Chippy Hut Takeaway/sandwich shop | 131 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 January 2026 |
| Clanmil Housing - Cedar Court Other catering premises | 373 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2025 |
| Apache Pizza - Whiteabbey Takeaway/sandwich shop | 397 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2025 |
| Abbey Surestart - St James Primary Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 September 2024 |
| Ashers Baking Company Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2025 |
| Crescent Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2025 |
Questions about The Spice Merchant
What is The Spice Merchant's food hygiene rating?
The Spice Merchant has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Antrim and Newtownabbey Council on 23 June 2026.
Is The Spice Merchant 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 Spice Merchant last inspected?
The Spice Merchant was last inspected on 23 June 2026, within the last month. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Antrim and Newtownabbey Council rather than by the business.
How does The Spice Merchant compare to other places in Antrim and Newtownabbey?
87% of the 981 rated food businesses in Antrim and Newtownabbey hold the top rating of 5, and The Spice Merchant is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Antrim and Newtownabbey Council inspects The Spice Merchant 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 Spice Merchant 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
The Spice Merchant is one of 849 rated food businesses in Antrim. See every hygiene rating in Antrim →
Antrim and Newtownabbey inspects and rates 1,097 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Antrim and Newtownabbey →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.antrimandnewtownabbey.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 →