The Ark Cafe And Bookshop food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Bexley
The Ark Cafe And Bookshop 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 26 September 2025, 9 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: 19 Pier Road, Erith, Kent, DA8 1TA
How it compares in Bexley
That puts The Ark Cafe And Bookshop among the 1,155 places in Bexley holding top marks, 72% 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 | 1,155 | 72% | ← The Ark Cafe And Bookshop | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 265 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 140 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 36 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 19 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 151 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 The Ark Cafe And Bookshop 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 Ark Cafe And Bookshop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil's@ Re-Instate Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2025 |
| Angels Catering And Events Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 October 2025 |
| Aroma Baristas Mobile caterer | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 May 2023 |
| Bexley Snap Caring Premises | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 July 2024 |
| Bexley Fried Chicken Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 September 2025 |
| Afishionados Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 June 2026 |
| Beijing Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2025 |
| Brewers Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 March 2024 |
Questions about The Ark Cafe And Bookshop
What is The Ark Cafe And Bookshop's food hygiene rating?
The Ark Cafe And Bookshop has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Bexley Council on 26 September 2025.
Is The Ark Cafe And Bookshop 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 Ark Cafe And Bookshop last inspected?
The Ark Cafe And Bookshop was last inspected on 26 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Bexley Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Ark Cafe And Bookshop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "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 The Ark Cafe And Bookshop compare to other places in Bexley?
72% of the 1,615 rated food businesses in Bexley hold the top rating of 5, and The Ark Cafe And Bookshop is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Bexley Council inspects The Ark Cafe And Bookshop 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 Ark Cafe And Bookshop and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Ark Cafe And Bookshop is one of 212 rated food businesses in Erith. See every hygiene rating in Erith →
Bexley inspects and rates 1,766 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Bexley →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.bexley.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 →