Cafe Essence food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Ards and North Down
Cafe Essence holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 8 August 2024, 23 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: 17c Hamilton Road, Corporation, Bangor, BT20 4LF
How it compares in Ards and North Down
In Ards and North Down, 82% of rated places manage a 5, so Cafe Essence sits behind roughly 949 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 949 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 154 | 13% | ← Cafe Essence | |
| 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Cafe Essence 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 Cafe Essence, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 203 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 July 2025 |
| Asda Filling Station Retailers - other | 210 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2025 |
| Base 48 Pizzeria Takeaway/sandwich shop | 269 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 July 2024 |
| Cafe Taste Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 270 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2026 |
| Ava Wine Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 275 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2025 |
| Cotters Retailers - other | 299 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 August 2023 |
| Cindy’s Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 315 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2026 |
| Bono Bangor Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 316 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2026 |
Questions about Cafe Essence
What is Cafe Essence's food hygiene rating?
Cafe Essence has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Ards and North Down Council on 8 August 2024.
Is Cafe Essence safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Cafe Essence last inspected?
Cafe Essence was last inspected on 8 August 2024, 23 months 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 Cafe Essence?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Cafe Essence 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, while Cafe Essence holds a 4. 154 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Ards and North Down Council inspects Cafe Essence 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 Cafe Essence and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Cafe Essence 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 →