Black Cat Coffee food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Ards and North Down
Black Cat Coffee 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
This is a fresh result: Black Cat Coffee was inspected on 2 September 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
96% of rated food businesses in Ards and North Down score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all Ards and North Down ratings →
Address: 86 Shore Road, Ballyhemlin, Ballyhalbert, BT22 1BJ
How this rating has changed
Black Cat Coffee was re-inspected on 2 September 2026 and held its rating of 5.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2 September 2026 | AwaitingInspection 5 | Held |
The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.
How it compares in Ards and North Down
That puts Black Cat Coffee among the 951 places in Ards and North Down holding top marks, 82% 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 | 951 | 82% | ← Black Cat Coffee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 158 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 40 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 135 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 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 Black Cat Coffee 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 Black Cat Coffee, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Tooth Essentials Retailers - other | 134 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 August 2026 |
| Spar Ballyhalbert Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 422 yards away | 4 - Good | 19 June 2025 |
| Harbour Road Service Station Ltd/Mace Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 May 2026 |
| Glastry College School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
| Victoria Primary School School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 October 2025 |
| Ballymoat Farm Shop Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 February 2024 |
Questions about Black Cat Coffee
What is Black Cat Coffee's food hygiene rating?
Black Cat Coffee has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Ards and North Down Council on 2 September 2026.
Is Black Cat Coffee 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 Black Cat Coffee last inspected?
Black Cat Coffee was last inspected on 2 September 2026, within the last month. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ards and North Down Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Black Cat Coffee?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Black Cat Coffee compare to other places in Ards and North Down?
82% of the 1,160 rated food businesses in Ards and North Down hold the top rating of 5, and Black Cat Coffee is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Ards and North Down Council inspects Black Cat Coffee 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 Black Cat Coffee and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Black Cat Coffee is one of 890 rated food businesses in Down. See every hygiene rating in Down →
Ards and North Down inspects and rates 1,295 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ards and North Down →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.ardsandnorthdown.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 →