Whale Tail Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Lancaster City
Whale Tail 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 10 February 2026, 5 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: Single Step, 78a Penny Street, Lancaster, LA1 1XN
How it compares in Lancaster City
That puts Whale Tail Cafe among the 865 places in Lancaster City holding top marks, 79% 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 | 865 | 79% | ← Whale Tail Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 173 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 44 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 12 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 64 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 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 Whale Tail 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 Whale Tail Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ado's Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 12 August 2025 |
| Aquila Neapolitan Wood Fired Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 29 May 2025 |
| German Doner Kebab Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 99 yards away | 5 - Very good | 9 March 2026 |
| Baked By Brew Limited Retailers - other | 137 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 August 2024 |
| Brown Cow Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 152 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 February 2026 |
| City Mini Market Retailers - other | 164 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 January 2024 |
| Full House Noodle Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 210 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2026 |
| American Sweet Retailers - other | 226 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2026 |
Questions about Whale Tail Cafe
What is Whale Tail Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Whale Tail Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Lancaster City Council on 10 February 2026.
Is Whale Tail 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 Whale Tail Cafe last inspected?
Whale Tail Cafe was last inspected on 10 February 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Lancaster City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Whale Tail Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Whale Tail Cafe compare to other places in Lancaster City?
79% of the 1,101 rated food businesses in Lancaster City hold the top rating of 5, and Whale Tail Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Lancaster City Council inspects Whale Tail 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 Whale Tail 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
Lancaster City inspects and rates 1,165 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Lancaster City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.lancaster.gov.uk/foodratings
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 →