The Nutmeg Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Folkestone and Hythe
The Nutmeg Cafe holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the restaurant that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 19 February 2025, 16 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: 115 High Street, Hythe, CT21 5JH
How it compares in Folkestone and Hythe
A 2 is rare: only 5 of 1,140 rated places in Folkestone and Hythe score this low, about one in 228. By contrast 84% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 958 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 111 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 62 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ← The Nutmeg Cafe | |
| 1 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 144 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 Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Nutmeg Cafe the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 The Nutmeg Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kings Head Pub/bar/nightclub | 20 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2024 |
| Hythe Butchers Retailers - other | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2025 |
| Cats Protection - Hythe Charity Shop Retailers - other | 123 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 May 2026 |
| Brooks Tearooms Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 132 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 June 2024 |
| Chocolate Deli Retailers - other | 174 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| Costa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 217 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 September 2024 |
| Bank Street News & Deli Retailers - other | 319 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2022 |
| Gingers Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 324 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 November 2023 |
Questions about The Nutmeg Cafe
What is The Nutmeg Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Nutmeg Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Folkestone and Hythe Council on 19 February 2025.
Is The Nutmeg Cafe safe to eat at?
A 2 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 The Nutmeg Cafe last inspected?
The Nutmeg Cafe was last inspected on 19 February 2025, 16 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Folkestone and Hythe Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Nutmeg Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Nutmeg Cafe compare to other places in Folkestone and Hythe?
84% of the 1,140 rated food businesses in Folkestone and Hythe hold the top rating of 5, while The Nutmeg Cafe holds a 2. 5 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Folkestone and Hythe Council inspects The Nutmeg 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 Nutmeg Cafe 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 2 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 Folkestone and Hythe, 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: Folkestone and Hythe
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Nutmeg Cafe is one of 128 rated food businesses in Hythe. See every hygiene rating in Hythe →
Folkestone and Hythe inspects and rates 1,284 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Folkestone and Hythe →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.folkestone-hythe.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 →