The Middle Ale food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Lisburn and Castlereagh City
The Middle Ale holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
This is a fresh result: The Middle Ale was inspected on 16 June 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
Address: Dunlady Road Dundonald, Belfast, BT16 1TT
How it compares in Lisburn and Castlereagh City
That puts The Middle Ale among the 837 places in Lisburn and Castlereagh City holding top marks, 92% 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 | 837 | 92% | ← The Middle Ale | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 64 | 7% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 87 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 Middle Ale 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 Middle Ale, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lidl Dundonald, Belfast Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2026 |
| Little Gems Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2026 |
| Habitat Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2025 |
| Hotties Chocolate Distributors/Transporters | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2026 |
| Dundonald High School School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 April 2025 |
| Beeps - Brookies Convenience Store Retailers - other | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 January 2026 |
Questions about The Middle Ale
What is The Middle Ale's food hygiene rating?
The Middle Ale has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council on 16 June 2026.
Is The Middle Ale 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Middle Ale last inspected?
The Middle Ale was last inspected on 16 June 2026, within the last month. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Middle Ale?
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 Middle Ale compare to other places in Lisburn and Castlereagh City?
92% of the 914 rated food businesses in Lisburn and Castlereagh City hold the top rating of 5, and The Middle Ale is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council inspects The Middle Ale 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 Middle Ale and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Middle Ale is one of 71 rated food businesses in Belfast. See every hygiene rating in Belfast →
Lisburn and Castlereagh City inspects and rates 1,001 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Lisburn and Castlereagh City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.lisburncastlereagh.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 →