The Square Bistro food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dorset
The Square Bistro 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 Square Bistro was inspected on 17 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
98% of rated food businesses in Dorset score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all Dorset ratings →
Address: 6 Challacombe Square, Poundbury, DT1 3SX
How this rating has changed
The Square Bistro was re-inspected on 17 July 2026 and held its rating of 5.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 17 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 Dorset
That puts The Square Bistro among the 3,846 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 | 3,846 | 95% | ← The Square Bistro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 141 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 34 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 1,131 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 Very 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 Square Bistro 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 Square Bistro, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 143 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2024 |
| 100 Giggles Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 245 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2025 |
| Finca Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 255 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2025 |
| Brace of Butchers Retailers - other | 262 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2025 |
| Duchess Of Cornwall Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 312 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 May 2026 |
| Community Association of Poundbury CIC Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2026 |
| Fables and Food Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2024 |
| Kingston Mauward Studio School LTD Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2025 |
Questions about The Square Bistro
What is The Square Bistro's food hygiene rating?
The Square Bistro has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 17 July 2026.
Is The Square Bistro 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 Square Bistro last inspected?
The Square Bistro was last inspected on 17 July 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 The Square Bistro?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Square Bistro compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 4,031 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Square Bistro is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The Square Bistro 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 Square Bistro 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
The Square Bistro is one of 31 rated food businesses in Poundbury. See every hygiene rating in Poundbury →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,162 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 →