The Highland Cow Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Durham
The Highland Cow 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 2 December 2025, 7 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: The Highland Cow Post Office Front Street, Cassop, DH6 4RG
How it compares in Durham
That puts The Highland Cow Cafe among the 3,088 places in Durham holding top marks, 75% 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 | 3,088 | 75% | ← The Highland Cow Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 676 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 284 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 50 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 22 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 518 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 Very 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 Highland Cow 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.
Questions about The Highland Cow Cafe
What is The Highland Cow Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Highland Cow Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 2 December 2025.
Is The Highland Cow 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 The Highland Cow Cafe last inspected?
The Highland Cow Cafe was last inspected on 2 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Durham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Highland Cow Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Highland Cow Cafe compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,122 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and The Highland Cow Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects The Highland Cow 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
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Durham inspects and rates 4,640 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Durham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.durham.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 →