The Dinner Bell food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Ards and North Down
The Dinner Bell 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: The Dinner Bell was inspected on 9 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
96% of rated food businesses in Ards and North Down score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all Ards and North Down ratings →
Address: 1a Killaughey Road, Donaghadee, BT21 0BL
⚠️ The lowest-rated places near The Dinner Bell
These food businesses close to this one were rated 0 to 2 at their last inspection, the lowest ratings. Tap any to see why.
How this rating has changed
The Dinner Bell was re-inspected on 9 July 2026 and held its rating of 5.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 9 July 2026 | 5 5 | Held |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Ards and North Down
That puts The Dinner Bell among the 951 places in Ards and North Down holding top marks, 82% 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 | 951 | 82% | ← The Dinner Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 158 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 40 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 135 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 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 Dinner Bell 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 Dinner Bell, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donaghadee Central School Meals Kitchen School/college/university | 153 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2025 |
| Mount Royal Caring Premises | 237 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 November 2025 |
| Morelli's Ice Cream Retailers - other | 242 yards away | 1 - Major improvement necessary | 18 May 2026 |
| Knotts Bakery Ltd Retailers - other | 269 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 August 2026 |
| Donaghadee Coffee Roasters Takeaway/sandwich shop | 271 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2024 |
| Tivoli Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 296 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
| Grace Neill's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 299 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2024 |
| Rainey's Takeaway/sandwich shop | 299 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 20 April 2026 |
Questions about The Dinner Bell
What is The Dinner Bell's food hygiene rating?
The Dinner Bell has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Ards and North Down Council on 9 July 2026.
Is The Dinner Bell 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 Dinner Bell last inspected?
The Dinner Bell was last inspected on 9 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ards and North Down Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Dinner Bell?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Dinner Bell compare to other places in Ards and North Down?
82% of the 1,160 rated food businesses in Ards and North Down hold the top rating of 5, and The Dinner Bell is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Ards and North Down Council inspects The Dinner Bell 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 Dinner Bell and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Ards and North Down inspects and rates 1,295 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ards and North Down →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.ardsandnorthdown.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 →