The Lemon Tree Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Plymouth City
The Lemon Tree 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 18 June 2025, 12 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: 2 Haye Road South, Plymouth, PL9 8HJ
How it compares in Plymouth City
That puts The Lemon Tree Cafe among the 1,270 places in Plymouth City holding top marks, 78% 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 | 1,270 | 78% | ← The Lemon Tree Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 198 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 97 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 34 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 11 | 1% |
A further 153 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 The Lemon Tree 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.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Lemon Tree Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catered at Elburton Primary School/college/university | at this address | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2025 |
| Allisons Butchers Retailers - other | 81 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2025 |
| Allisons Butchers on YOUR Block Retailers - other | 87 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2025 |
| Elburton Heights Nursing Home Caring Premises | 107 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2026 |
| Elburton Methodist Church Other catering premises | 186 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2025 |
| Elburton Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 223 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 September 2024 |
| Desi Junction Mobile caterer | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 July 2025 |
| Combe Dean School Kitchen School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2025 |
Questions about The Lemon Tree Cafe
What is The Lemon Tree Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Lemon Tree Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Plymouth City Council on 18 June 2025.
Is The Lemon Tree 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 Lemon Tree Cafe last inspected?
The Lemon Tree Cafe was last inspected on 18 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Plymouth City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Lemon Tree Cafe?
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 The Lemon Tree Cafe compare to other places in Plymouth City?
78% of the 1,630 rated food businesses in Plymouth City hold the top rating of 5, and The Lemon Tree Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Plymouth City Council inspects The Lemon Tree 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
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 Lemon Tree Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Plymouth City inspects and rates 1,783 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Plymouth City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.plymouth.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 →