Harlem Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Belfast City
Harlem Cafe holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The restaurant met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 29 October 2025, 8 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: 34-36 Bedford Street, BT2 7FF
How it compares in Belfast City
In Belfast City, 73% of rated places manage a 5, so Harlem Cafe sits behind roughly 2,619 nearby businesses. 8% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,117 | 73% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 502 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 230 | 8% | ← Harlem Cafe | |
| 2 out of 5 | 46 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 253 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Harlem 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 Harlem Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCA Longevity Clinic Retailers - other | 110 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 October 2023 |
| BABS Takeaway/sandwich shop | 249 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2025 |
| Archana Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 384 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 August 2024 |
| Arthurs Coffee House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 391 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 June 2026 |
| Andhra Bhavan Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 408 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2025 |
| Am:pm Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 420 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2026 |
| Apache Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 October 2025 |
| Baker & Chef Manufacturers/packers | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2026 |
Questions about Harlem Cafe
What is Harlem Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Harlem Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Belfast City Council on 29 October 2025.
Is Harlem Cafe safe to eat at?
A 3 means the restaurant met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Harlem Cafe last inspected?
Harlem Cafe was last inspected on 29 October 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Belfast City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Harlem Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Harlem Cafe compare to other places in Belfast City?
73% of the 2,919 rated food businesses in Belfast City hold the top rating of 5, while Harlem Cafe holds a 3. 230 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Belfast City Council inspects Harlem 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 Harlem 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
Belfast City inspects and rates 3,172 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Belfast City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/buildingcontrol-environment/foodsafety/consumers-foodhygienescheme.aspx
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 →