Old School Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Mid and East Antrim
Old School Cafe holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 26 November 2025, 7 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 Cushendall Road, Rathkenny, Ballymena, BT43 6HA
How it compares in Mid and East Antrim
That puts Old School Cafe among the 936 places in Mid and East Antrim holding top marks, 93% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 936 | 93% | ← Old School Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 57 | 6% | ||
| 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 Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 Old School 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 Old School Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eden View Residential Home Caring Premises | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2024 |
| Ballymena Health Care Centre Ground Floor Coffee Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 134 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2025 |
| Charbella Takeaway/sandwich shop | 345 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2025 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 347 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2025 |
| Asda Express Ballymena - Broughshane Street PFS Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 December 2025 |
| Big Occasions Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2025 |
| Big Occasions Van 1 30ft Mobile caterer | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 January 2025 |
| Big Occasions Van 2 25ft Mobile caterer | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 April 2024 |
Questions about Old School Cafe
What is Old School Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Old School Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Mid and East Antrim Council on 26 November 2025.
Is Old School Cafe safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Old School Cafe last inspected?
Old School Cafe was last inspected on 26 November 2025, 7 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 Old School Cafe?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Old School Cafe 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, and Old School Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Mid and East Antrim Council inspects Old School 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 Old School 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
Old School Cafe 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 →