Hard Lines food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Cardiff
Hard Lines holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 8 October 2025, 9 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: Stall 25 Central Market St Mary Street, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 1AU
How it compares in Cardiff
In Cardiff, 70% of rated places manage a 5, so Hard Lines sits behind roughly 2,674 nearby businesses. 9% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,114 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 560 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 258 | 9% | ← Hard Lines | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Hard Lines 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 Hard Lines, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anand George’s Indian Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2025 |
| Bao Selecta Other catering premises | at this address | 5 - Very good | 23 October 2025 |
| Black Sheep Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 70 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2024 |
| Americandy Retailers - other | 202 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 July 2024 |
| Bar 44 Cardiff Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 212 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2026 |
| Beanfreaks Ltd Retailers - other | 253 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2021 |
| Blacksheep Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 282 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2026 |
| Alcotraz Other catering premises | 292 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2024 |
Questions about Hard Lines
What is Hard Lines's food hygiene rating?
Hard Lines has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Cardiff Council on 8 October 2025.
Is Hard Lines safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Hard Lines last inspected?
Hard Lines was last inspected on 8 October 2025, 9 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 Hard Lines?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Hard Lines compare to other places in Cardiff?
70% of the 3,034 rated food businesses in Cardiff hold the top rating of 5, while Hard Lines holds a 3. 258 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cardiff Council inspects Hard Lines 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 Hard Lines and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Hard Lines 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 →