Alpha Bar food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Oxford City
Alpha Bar holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the takeaway are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
This is a fresh result: Alpha Bar was inspected on 14 July 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.
96% of rated food businesses in Oxford City score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all Oxford City ratings →
Address: 89 Covered Market, Market Street, Oxford, OX1 3DY
How this rating has changed
Alpha Bar has gone backwards: it held a 5 before its inspection on 14 July 2026, and now holds a 4.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 14 July 2026 | 5 4 | Worse |
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 Oxford City
In Oxford City, 87% of rated places manage a 5, so Alpha Bar sits behind roughly 1,191 nearby businesses. 9% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,191 | 87% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 119 | 9% | ← Alpha Bar | |
| 3 out of 5 | 33 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 11 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 166 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety 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 Alpha Bar 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 Alpha Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben's Cookies Other catering premises | at this address | 5 - Very good | 14 February 2024 |
| Brothers Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 2 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2024 |
| Brown's Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 27 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2025 |
| A Taste Of China Takeaway/sandwich shop | 36 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 July 2025 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 93 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 April 2022 |
| Black Sheep Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 105 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 July 2026 |
| Bear Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 108 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2025 |
| Bird & Blend Tea Co Retailers - other | 117 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2025 |
Questions about Alpha Bar
What is Alpha Bar's food hygiene rating?
Alpha Bar has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Oxford City Council on 14 July 2026.
Is Alpha Bar safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this takeaway to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Alpha Bar last inspected?
Alpha Bar was last inspected on 14 July 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Oxford City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Alpha Bar?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Alpha Bar compare to other places in Oxford City?
87% of the 1,370 rated food businesses in Oxford City hold the top rating of 5, while Alpha Bar holds a 4. 119 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Oxford City Council inspects Alpha Bar 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 Alpha Bar and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Oxford City inspects and rates 1,536 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Oxford City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.oxford.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 →