Lime Tree Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Mid Suffolk
Lime Tree Cafe 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
The rating dates from 16 December 2024, 18 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 1 Buttermarket, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 1EB
How it compares in Mid Suffolk
That puts Lime Tree Cafe among the 623 places in Mid Suffolk holding top marks, 86% 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 | 623 | 86% | ← Lime Tree Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 66 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 26 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 122 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 Lime Tree 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 Lime Tree Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bella Sorrento Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 47 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2025 |
| Queens Head Pub/bar/nightclub | 49 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 April 2024 |
| Bonitas Wholefoods Ltd Retailers - other | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2021 |
| Poppys Other catering premises | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 September 2025 |
| Sparrowhawk's Convenience Stores Retailers - other | 101 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2023 |
| Holland & Barrett Retailers - other | 103 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 March 2019 |
| Palmers (Haughley) Ltd Other catering premises | 107 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 February 2026 |
| The Live Lounge Pub/bar/nightclub | 138 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 September 2025 |
Questions about Lime Tree Cafe
What is Lime Tree Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Lime Tree Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Mid Suffolk Council on 16 December 2024.
Is Lime Tree Cafe 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 Lime Tree Cafe last inspected?
Lime Tree Cafe was last inspected on 16 December 2024, 18 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Mid Suffolk Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Lime Tree 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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Lime Tree Cafe compare to other places in Mid Suffolk?
86% of the 728 rated food businesses in Mid Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, and Lime Tree Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Mid Suffolk Council inspects Lime Tree 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 Lime Tree 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
Lime Tree Cafe is one of 244 rated food businesses in Stowmarket. See every hygiene rating in Stowmarket →
Mid Suffolk inspects and rates 850 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Mid Suffolk →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.midsuffolk.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 →