Esquires Coffee food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · East Hampshire
Esquires Coffee 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 2 December 2025, 7 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: 36 High Street Alton GU34 1BD, GU34 1BD
How it compares in East Hampshire
In East Hampshire, 84% of rated places manage a 5, so Esquires Coffee sits behind roughly 803 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 803 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 120 | 13% | ← Esquires Coffee | |
| 3 out of 5 | 22 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 88 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 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 Esquires Coffee 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.
What the business says
<p class="xmsonormal"> <span style="color:black">During the EHO inspection, all standards were found to be fully met; however, the current rating has been determined based on the previous score </span>and<span style="color:black"> the conditions observed during this visit</span><o:p></o:p></p>
Businesses have a right to reply to their rating. This response is published by the Food Standards Agency alongside the score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Esquires Coffee, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caprinos Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 30 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 January 2024 |
| Alton Gourmet Oriental Takeaway/sandwich shop | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2026 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 February 2025 |
| Subway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 February 2025 |
| Grape Tree Retailers - other | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2026 |
| Hunky Dory Play Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 47 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 May 2022 |
| The King's Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 69 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 December 2021 |
| Stones Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 76 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2026 |
Questions about Esquires Coffee
What is Esquires Coffee's food hygiene rating?
Esquires Coffee has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by East Hampshire Council on 2 December 2025.
Is Esquires Coffee 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 Esquires Coffee last inspected?
Esquires Coffee was last inspected on 2 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Hampshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Esquires Coffee?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Esquires Coffee compare to other places in East Hampshire?
84% of the 958 rated food businesses in East Hampshire hold the top rating of 5, while Esquires Coffee holds a 4. 120 places in the area share that rating.
Has Esquires Coffee responded to its rating?
Yes. Businesses have a right to reply, published alongside the rating. Esquires Coffee said: “<p class="xmsonormal"> <span style="color:black">During the EHO inspection, all standards were found to be fully met; however, the current rating has been determined based on the previous score </span>and<span style="color:black"> the conditions observed during this visit</span><o:p></o:p></p>”
Who decides the rating?
East Hampshire Council inspects Esquires Coffee 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 Esquires Coffee 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
East Hampshire inspects and rates 1,046 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Hampshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.easthants.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 →