The Chatterbox food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Canterbury City
The Chatterbox 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 17 April 2026, 2 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: 9 Castle Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2QF
How it compares in Canterbury City
That puts The Chatterbox among the 1,161 places in Canterbury City holding top marks, 78% 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 | 1,161 | 78% | ← The Chatterbox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 185 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 120 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 166 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 Chatterbox 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 Chatterbox, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balkan Food Retailers - other | 56 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 October 2023 |
| Bills Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 134 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2026 |
| Age UK Canterbury Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 157 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2025 |
| Cafe Marrakech Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 168 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 June 2026 |
| Canterbury Conservative Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 195 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2025 |
| Canterbury Bakery Retailers - other | 207 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2026 |
| Auntie Annes Takeaway/sandwich shop | 256 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 June 2026 |
| Boots Retailers - other | 256 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 April 2024 |
Questions about The Chatterbox
What is The Chatterbox's food hygiene rating?
The Chatterbox has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Canterbury City Council on 17 April 2026.
Is The Chatterbox 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 Chatterbox last inspected?
The Chatterbox was last inspected on 17 April 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Canterbury City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Chatterbox?
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 Chatterbox compare to other places in Canterbury City?
78% of the 1,483 rated food businesses in Canterbury City hold the top rating of 5, and The Chatterbox is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Canterbury City Council inspects The Chatterbox 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 Chatterbox 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
Canterbury City inspects and rates 1,649 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Canterbury City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.canterbury.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 →