Cafe W @ Waterstones food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Exeter City
Cafe W @ Waterstones 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 1 November 2024, 20 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: Waterstones, 252 High Street, Exeter, EX4 3PZ
How it compares in Exeter City
That puts Cafe W @ Waterstones among the 870 places in Exeter City holding top marks, 87% 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 | 870 | 87% | ← Cafe W @ Waterstones | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 88 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 30 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 111 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Cafe W @ Waterstones 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 Cafe W @ Waterstones, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 43 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 February 2025 |
| Arcadia Pub/bar/nightclub | 65 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 April 2025 |
| Arrietty Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 102 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 February 2026 |
| Castle Street Sports & Entertainment Pub/bar/nightclub | 109 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 March 2024 |
| Caffe Espresso Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 127 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2025 |
| 12 Bar Music and Social Pub/bar/nightclub | 143 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2026 |
| All Stars Sports Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 163 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 October 2024 |
| Caffe Nero Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 188 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 August 2025 |
Questions about Cafe W @ Waterstones
What is Cafe W @ Waterstones's food hygiene rating?
Cafe W @ Waterstones has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Exeter City Council on 1 November 2024.
Is Cafe W @ Waterstones 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 Cafe W @ Waterstones last inspected?
Cafe W @ Waterstones was last inspected on 1 November 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Exeter City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Cafe W @ Waterstones?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Cafe W @ Waterstones compare to other places in Exeter City?
87% of the 999 rated food businesses in Exeter City hold the top rating of 5, and Cafe W @ Waterstones is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Exeter City Council inspects Cafe W @ Waterstones 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 Cafe W @ Waterstones and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Exeter City inspects and rates 1,110 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Exeter City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.exeter.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 →