Dolphin Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Liverpool
Dolphin Cafe holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 1 August 2023, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: 24 Speke Road, Liverpool, L19 2PA
How it compares in Liverpool
A 1 is rare: only 88 of 3,383 rated places in Liverpool score this low, about one in 38. By contrast 67% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,273 | 67% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 530 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 331 | 10% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 123 | 4% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 88 | 3% | ← Dolphin Cafe | |
| 0 out of 5 | 38 | 1% |
A further 1,143 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 Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 Dolphin Cafe the inspector recorded concerns over confidence in management. 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 Dolphin Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bite Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 223 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2019 |
| Craft Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2024 |
| Cooking PaPa Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 August 2024 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2022 |
| David Lloyd Leisure Centre Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2025 |
| Burger King Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 September 2025 |
| Costa Coffee in Next Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2019 |
| Cineworld Cinemas Other catering premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 November 2019 |
Questions about Dolphin Cafe
What is Dolphin Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Dolphin Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Liverpool Council on 1 August 2023.
Is Dolphin Cafe safe to eat at?
A 1 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 Dolphin Cafe last inspected?
Dolphin Cafe was last inspected on 1 August 2023, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Liverpool Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Dolphin Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Dolphin Cafe compare to other places in Liverpool?
67% of the 3,383 rated food businesses in Liverpool hold the top rating of 5, while Dolphin Cafe holds a 1. 88 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Liverpool Council inspects Dolphin 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 Dolphin 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 1 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 Liverpool, 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: Liverpool
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Liverpool inspects and rates 4,526 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Liverpool →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.liverpool.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 →