The Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Ards and North Down
The Sandpiper / Nonnas 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 26 January 2023, more than 3 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: 64 Main Street, Ballywalter, Ballywalter, BT22 2PQ
How it compares in Ards and North Down
That puts The Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe among the 949 places in Ards and North Down holding top marks, 82% 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 | 949 | 82% | ← The Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 154 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 43 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 118 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 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 Sandpiper / Nonnas 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 Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glynn's Fish & Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2025 |
| The Village Butchery Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2025 |
| Cafe Ardmore and Guesthouse Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 4 - Good | 3 November 2025 |
| Spence's Spar Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | at this address | 4 - Good | 4 November 2025 |
| Ballywalter Youth & Comm. Cooperative Other catering premises | at this address | Exempt | |
| PA McKeever Ltd Retailers - other | at this address | Exempt | |
| Mauds Ballywalter Takeaway/sandwich shop | 1 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 April 2024 |
| Aroma Takeaway/sandwich shop | 71 yards away | 4 - Good | 5 June 2025 |
Questions about The Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe
What is The Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Ards and North Down Council on 26 January 2023.
Is The Sandpiper / Nonnas 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 Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe last inspected?
The Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe was last inspected on 26 January 2023, more than 3 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ards and North Down Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Sandpiper / Nonnas 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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe compare to other places in Ards and North Down?
82% of the 1,155 rated food businesses in Ards and North Down hold the top rating of 5, and The Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Ards and North Down Council inspects The Sandpiper / Nonnas 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 Sandpiper / Nonnas 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 Sandpiper / Nonnas Cafe is one of 884 rated food businesses in Down. See every hygiene rating in Down →
Ards and North Down inspects and rates 1,273 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ards and North Down →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.ardsandnorthdown.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 →