The Smoke Pit food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · West Northamptonshire
The Smoke Pit 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 6 March 2026, 4 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: 11a The Ridings, Northampton, Nn1 2aq, NN1 2AQ
How it compares in West Northamptonshire
In West Northamptonshire, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Smoke Pit sits behind roughly 2,565 nearby businesses. 11% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,565 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 377 | 11% | ← The Smoke Pit | |
| 3 out of 5 | 251 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 39 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 44 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 9 | <1% |
A further 772 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 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 Smoke Pit 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 Smoke Pit, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7Bone Burger Co Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 67 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 December 2022 |
| Albert J Ramsbottom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 69 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 August 2024 |
| Age UK Northamptonshire Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 300 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Bargain Bakery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 308 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2025 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 317 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 August 2025 |
| Angel Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 368 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 September 2024 |
| @MP Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 391 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 November 2023 |
| ALDI Stores Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 412 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2024 |
Questions about The Smoke Pit
What is The Smoke Pit's food hygiene rating?
The Smoke Pit has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by West Northamptonshire Council on 6 March 2026.
Is The Smoke Pit 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 The Smoke Pit last inspected?
The Smoke Pit was last inspected on 6 March 2026, 4 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by West Northamptonshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Smoke Pit?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Smoke Pit compare to other places in West Northamptonshire?
78% of the 3,285 rated food businesses in West Northamptonshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Smoke Pit holds a 4. 377 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
West Northamptonshire Council inspects The Smoke Pit 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 Smoke Pit 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 Smoke Pit is one of 1,617 rated food businesses in Northampton. See every hygiene rating in Northampton →
West Northamptonshire inspects and rates 4,057 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in West Northamptonshire →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.westnorthants.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 →