Esmes Tearooms food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · New Forest
Esmes Tearooms 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 1 April 2026, 3 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: Thatched Cottage Hotel, 16 Brookley Road, Brockenhurst, SO42 7RR
How it compares in New Forest
That puts Esmes Tearooms among the 1,153 places in New Forest holding top marks, 80% 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 | 1,153 | 80% | ← Esmes Tearooms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 183 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 69 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 138 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 Esmes Tearooms 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 Esmes Tearooms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| A and R Beardsmore Ltd TA Rainbow Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 46 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
| Brockenhurst Bowling Club Other catering premises | 46 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2025 |
| Foresters Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 46 yards away | 4 - Good | 18 March 2026 |
| The Absent Pony Retailers - other | 85 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 May 2026 |
| Albero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 94 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2024 |
| Britannia Thai Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 94 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2026 |
| New Forest Shortbread Retailers - other | 94 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2026 |
| The Snakecatcher Pub Pub/bar/nightclub | 94 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 October 2025 |
Questions about Esmes Tearooms
What is Esmes Tearooms's food hygiene rating?
Esmes Tearooms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 1 April 2026.
Is Esmes Tearooms 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 Esmes Tearooms last inspected?
Esmes Tearooms was last inspected on 1 April 2026, 3 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by New Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Esmes Tearooms?
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 Esmes Tearooms compare to other places in New Forest?
80% of the 1,435 rated food businesses in New Forest hold the top rating of 5, and Esmes Tearooms is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects Esmes Tearooms 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 Esmes Tearooms and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Esmes Tearooms is one of 84 rated food businesses in Brockenhurst. See every hygiene rating in Brockenhurst →
New Forest inspects and rates 1,573 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in New Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newforest.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 →