Masala food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · New Forest
Masala holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 2 September 2025, 10 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: 9 Meeting House Lane, Ringwood, BH24 1AY
How it compares in New Forest
In New Forest, 80% of rated places manage a 5, so Masala sits behind roughly 1,153 nearby businesses. 13% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,153 | 80% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 183 | 13% | ← Masala | |
| 3 out of 5 | 69 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 138 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 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 Masala 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 Masala, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartlett DE Choc Retailers - other | 19 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
| Mil Lok Limited Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 33 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 November 2025 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 May 2026 |
| Sushi Daily Retailers - other | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 April 2026 |
| Cafe W Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 62 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 May 2021 |
| COOK Retailers - other | 62 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 October 2017 |
| Holland and Barrett Retailers - other | 62 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 May 2016 |
| The Boston Tea Party Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 62 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2026 |
Questions about Masala
What is Masala's food hygiene rating?
Masala has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by New Forest Council on 2 September 2025.
Is Masala 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 restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Masala last inspected?
Masala was last inspected on 2 September 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by New Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Masala?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Masala compare to other places in New Forest?
80% of the 1,435 rated food businesses in New Forest hold the top rating of 5, while Masala holds a 4. 183 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects Masala 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 Masala and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Masala is one of 158 rated food businesses in Ringwood. See every hygiene rating in Ringwood →
New Forest inspects and rates 1,573 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in New Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newforest.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 →