Smith's food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Colchester
Smith's 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 October 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 2 Church Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1NF
How it compares in Colchester
That puts Smith's among the 1,191 places in Colchester holding top marks, 89% 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 | 1,191 | 89% | ← Smith's | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 82 | 6% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 48 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 296 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 Smith's 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 Smith's, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Church Street Tavern Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 14 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2025 |
| Chappells Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 120 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 October 2022 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 129 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 August 2025 |
| Burger King Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 152 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 November 2025 |
| Bon Appetit Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 158 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 February 2025 |
| Bull Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 176 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2025 |
| Chef Canton Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 177 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2025 |
| Basca Indian Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 204 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2026 |
Questions about Smith's
What is Smith's's food hygiene rating?
Smith's has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Colchester Council on 23 October 2024.
Is Smith's 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 Smith's last inspected?
Smith's was last inspected on 23 October 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Colchester Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Smith's?
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 Smith's compare to other places in Colchester?
89% of the 1,335 rated food businesses in Colchester hold the top rating of 5, and Smith's is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Colchester Council inspects Smith's 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 Smith's and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Colchester inspects and rates 1,631 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Colchester →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.colchester.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 →