5

Sam Zair's Cafe food hygiene rating

Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Durham

Sam Zair's 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 30 January 2025, 17 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: Sam Zair Cafe 10 Fore Bondgate, Bishop Auckland, DL14 7PF

How it compares in Durham

That puts Sam Zair's Cafe among the 3,086 places in Durham holding top marks, 75% 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.

Every rated food business in Durham
5 out of 5 3,086 75% ← Sam Zair's Cafe
4 out of 5 684 17%
3 out of 5 286 7%
2 out of 5 50 1%
1 out of 5 25 1%
0 out of 5 2 <1%

A further 512 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Sam Zair's 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 Sam Zair's Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Hardys Pub/bar/nightclub 24 yards away 5 - Very good 5 August 2025
Gregg Bros Takeaway/sandwich shop 26 yards away 5 - Very good 26 September 2024
Lacey's Pub/bar/nightclub 36 yards away 5 - Very good 11 October 2022
PeaceGold Ethical Jewellery House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 37 yards away 5 - Very good 2 April 2025
Bella Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop 48 yards away 5 - Very good 28 August 2024
Grand Bengal Takeaway/sandwich shop 48 yards away 5 - Very good 29 August 2024
Bay Horse Pub/bar/nightclub 57 yards away 5 - Very good 2 August 2023
Eiledon Books Retailers - other 88 yards away 5 - Very good 21 January 2026

Questions about Sam Zair's Cafe

What is Sam Zair's Cafe's food hygiene rating?

Sam Zair's Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 30 January 2025.

Is Sam Zair's 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 Sam Zair's Cafe last inspected?

Sam Zair's Cafe was last inspected on 30 January 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Durham Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Sam Zair's 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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does Sam Zair's Cafe compare to other places in Durham?

75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and Sam Zair's Cafe is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Durham Council inspects Sam Zair's 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 Sam Zair's 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

Sam Zair's Cafe is one of 179 rated food businesses in Bishop Auckland. See every hygiene rating in Bishop Auckland

Durham inspects and rates 4,645 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Durham

The official record is held by the council: http://www.durham.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 →