The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Somerset
The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom 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 Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom was inspected on 27 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: The Recreation Ground, Wiveliscombe, TA4 2TA
How it compares in Somerset
That puts The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom among the 4,825 places in Somerset holding top marks, 88% 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 | 4,825 | 88% | ← The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 539 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 93 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 26 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 31 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 557 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building 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 Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom 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 Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanner's Stores Retailers - other | 412 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 December 2025 |
| Thornes Butchers Manufacturers/packers | 412 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 July 2025 |
| Wivey Larder Retailers - other | 412 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
| The White Hart Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 412 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Wiveliscombe Primary School School/college/university | 428 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 May 2026 |
| Pulsford Lodge Caring Premises | 428 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 November 2025 |
| Phoenix Kitchen Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 4 - Good | 8 May 2024 |
| The Bear Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 4 - Good | 7 October 2025 |
Questions about The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom
What is The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom's food hygiene rating?
The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Somerset Council on 27 May 2026.
Is The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom 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 Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom last inspected?
The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom was last inspected on 27 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Somerset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom compare to other places in Somerset?
88% of the 5,514 rated food businesses in Somerset hold the top rating of 5, and The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Somerset Council inspects The Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom 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 Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom 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 Lion & The Unicorn Tearoom is one of 639 rated food businesses in Taunton. See every hygiene rating in Taunton →
Somerset inspects and rates 6,071 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Somerset →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.somerset.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 →