Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Cardiff
Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the business met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 31 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: Dorothy's Fish Bar 39 - 40 Caroline Street, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 1FF
How it compares in Cardiff
That puts Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar among the 2,114 places in Cardiff holding top marks, 70% 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 | 2,114 | 70% | ← Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 560 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 258 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 45 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 49 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 8 | <1% |
A further 401 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 Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar 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 Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBQ Xiang Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 32 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2026 |
| Alcotraz Other catering premises | 43 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2024 |
| Bill's Restaurants Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 54 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2025 |
| Barbara's Bier Haus Pub/bar/nightclub | 64 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 May 2022 |
| Be at One Other catering premises | 79 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2024 |
| Beanfreaks Ltd Retailers - other | 86 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2021 |
| Blacksheep Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 178 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2026 |
| Benugo John Lewis Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 201 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2026 |
Questions about Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar
What is Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar's food hygiene rating?
Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cardiff Council on 31 January 2026.
Is Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar 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 business to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar last inspected?
Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar was last inspected on 31 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cardiff Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar?
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 Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar compare to other places in Cardiff?
70% of the 3,034 rated food businesses in Cardiff hold the top rating of 5, and Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cardiff Council inspects Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar 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 Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Dorothy's Café and Fish Bar is one of 626 rated food businesses in Cathays. See every hygiene rating in Cathays →
Cardiff inspects and rates 3,435 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cardiff →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.srs.wales/en/Environmental-Health/Food-Hygiene-Standards/Food.aspx
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 →