The Cow and Caf food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Mid and East Antrim
The Cow and Caf holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub 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 3 October 2024, 21 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 9-11 Fairview Terrace, Carrickfergus, BT38 8PY
How it compares in Mid and East Antrim
In Mid and East Antrim, 93% of rated places manage a 5, so The Cow and Caf sits behind roughly 936 nearby businesses. 6% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 936 | 93% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 57 | 6% | ← The Cow and Caf | |
| 3 out of 5 | 14 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 0 | 0% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 147 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very 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 Cow and Caf 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 Cow and Caf, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrickfergus Rugby Club - Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2026 |
| Centra Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2024 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2025 |
| Gillians Nearby Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 July 2025 |
| Cod House and Pecker Chicken Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2024 |
| Important Mini People Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2025 |
| Hawthorn's Adult Centre Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2024 |
| Horizon Surestart Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2026 |
Questions about The Cow and Caf
What is The Cow and Caf's food hygiene rating?
The Cow and Caf has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Mid and East Antrim Council on 3 October 2024.
Is The Cow and Caf 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 pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Cow and Caf last inspected?
The Cow and Caf was last inspected on 3 October 2024, 21 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Mid and East Antrim Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Cow and Caf?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Cow and Caf compare to other places in Mid and East Antrim?
93% of the 1,011 rated food businesses in Mid and East Antrim hold the top rating of 5, while The Cow and Caf holds a 4. 57 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Mid and East Antrim Council inspects The Cow and Caf 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 Cow and Caf 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 Cow and Caf is one of 942 rated food businesses in Antrim. See every hygiene rating in Antrim →
Mid and East Antrim inspects and rates 1,158 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Mid and East Antrim →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.midandeastantrim.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 →