Smoke on the Water food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dorset
Smoke on the Water 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: Smoke on the Water was inspected on 14 May 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: Pier Head Restaurant High Street, Swanage, BH19 2FH
How it compares in Dorset
That puts Smoke on the Water among the 3,808 places in Dorset holding top marks, 95% 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 | 3,808 | 95% | ← Smoke on the Water | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 1,119 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 Smoke on the Water 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 Smoke on the Water, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pier Head Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 105 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2025 |
| Gee Whites Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 114 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2026 |
| Masala Indian Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 114 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2024 |
| Scoopies Other catering premises | 114 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 March 2026 |
| Rainbow Kebab Takeaway/sandwich shop | 124 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2025 |
| Masonic Hall Other catering premises | 131 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2024 |
| La Trattoria Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 156 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| H B Hibbs Retailers - other | 159 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 April 2025 |
Questions about Smoke on the Water
What is Smoke on the Water's food hygiene rating?
Smoke on the Water has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 14 May 2026.
Is Smoke on the Water 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 Smoke on the Water last inspected?
Smoke on the Water was last inspected on 14 May 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Smoke on the Water?
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 Smoke on the Water compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and Smoke on the Water is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects Smoke on the Water 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 Smoke on the Water and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Smoke on the Water is one of 167 rated food businesses in Swanage. See every hygiene rating in Swanage →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,107 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →