Bella Bar & Restaurant food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Brighton and Hove
Bella Bar & Restaurant holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 15 July 2025, 11 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: 120 - 121 St James's Street, Brighton, BN2 1TH
How it compares in Brighton and Hove
A 1 is rare: only 23 of 2,751 rated places in Brighton and Hove score this low, about one in 120. By contrast 82% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,255 | 82% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 353 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 97 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 22 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 1% | ← Bella Bar & Restaurant | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 260 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Bella Bar & Restaurant the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Bella Bar & Restaurant, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admiral Other catering premises | 17 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 April 2024 |
| Bagelman Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 88 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 October 2022 |
| A&O Brighton Caring Premises | 213 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2025 |
| 313 At The Oak Pub/bar/nightclub | 229 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 August 2025 |
| Al Duomo Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 254 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2025 |
| Balinese House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 283 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2025 |
| Al Forno Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 345 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 November 2024 |
| A Table Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 345 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2025 |
Questions about Bella Bar & Restaurant
What is Bella Bar & Restaurant's food hygiene rating?
Bella Bar & Restaurant has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Brighton and Hove Council on 15 July 2025.
Is Bella Bar & Restaurant safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Bella Bar & Restaurant last inspected?
Bella Bar & Restaurant was last inspected on 15 July 2025, 11 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Brighton and Hove Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Bella Bar & Restaurant?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Bella Bar & Restaurant compare to other places in Brighton and Hove?
82% of the 2,751 rated food businesses in Brighton and Hove hold the top rating of 5, while Bella Bar & Restaurant holds a 1. 23 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Brighton and Hove Council inspects Bella Bar & Restaurant 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 Bella Bar & Restaurant 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 →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Brighton and Hove, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Brighton and Hove
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Bella Bar & Restaurant is one of 1,916 rated food businesses in Brighton. See every hygiene rating in Brighton →
Brighton and Hove inspects and rates 3,011 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Brighton and Hove →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/foodsafety
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 →