Haystack Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Merthyr Tydfil
Haystack Cafe 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 27 January 2026, 5 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: 39 High Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8DE
How it compares in Merthyr Tydfil
In Merthyr Tydfil, 59% of rated places manage a 5, so Haystack Cafe sits behind roughly 317 nearby businesses. 26% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 317 | 59% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 141 | 26% | ← Haystack Cafe | |
| 3 out of 5 | 69 | 13% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 52 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 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 Haystack Cafe 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 Haystack Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heron Foods Retailers - other | 25 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 January 2024 |
| Big Dog Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 37 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 November 2025 |
| Davs Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 37 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2026 |
| High Street Ice Cream Parlour Takeaway/sandwich shop | 37 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 June 2026 |
| Fresh Dill Retailers - other | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 July 2024 |
| Conservative Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 68 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| Amazeme (Treats and Sweets) Retailers - other | 78 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2026 |
| Flame&Bake Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 78 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2026 |
Questions about Haystack Cafe
What is Haystack Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Haystack Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Merthyr Tydfil Council on 27 January 2026.
Is Haystack Cafe 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 Haystack Cafe last inspected?
Haystack Cafe was last inspected on 27 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Merthyr Tydfil Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Haystack Cafe?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Haystack Cafe compare to other places in Merthyr Tydfil?
59% of the 539 rated food businesses in Merthyr Tydfil hold the top rating of 5, while Haystack Cafe holds a 4. 141 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Merthyr Tydfil Council inspects Haystack Cafe 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 Haystack Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Merthyr Tydfil inspects and rates 591 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Merthyr Tydfil →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.merthyr.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 →