The Zen Bar food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Cardiff
The Zen Bar 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 26 September 2025, 9 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: Atrium Adam Street, Adamsdown, Cardiff, CF24 2FN
How it compares in Cardiff
In Cardiff, 70% of rated places manage a 5, so The Zen Bar sits behind roughly 2,114 nearby businesses. 18% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,114 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 560 | 18% | ← The Zen Bar | |
| 3 out of 5 | 258 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 45 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 49 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 8 | <1% |
A further 401 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 Generally satisfactory
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 Zen Bar 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 Zen Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benugo John Lewis Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 397 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2026 |
| 200 Degrees Coffee Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 September 2025 |
| Bill's Restaurants Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2025 |
| BBQ Xiang Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2026 |
| Alcotraz Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2024 |
| BaxterStorey - Eversheds Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2025 |
| Barbara's Bier Haus Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 May 2022 |
| Be at One Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 March 2024 |
Questions about The Zen Bar
What is The Zen Bar's food hygiene rating?
The Zen Bar has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Cardiff Council on 26 September 2025.
Is The Zen Bar 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 Zen Bar last inspected?
The Zen Bar was last inspected on 26 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cardiff Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Zen Bar?
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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Zen Bar compare to other places in Cardiff?
70% of the 3,034 rated food businesses in Cardiff hold the top rating of 5, while The Zen Bar holds a 4. 560 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cardiff Council inspects The Zen Bar 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 Zen Bar 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 Zen Bar is one of 109 rated food businesses in Adamsdown. See every hygiene rating in Adamsdown →
Cardiff inspects and rates 3,435 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cardiff →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.srs.wales/en/Environmental-Health/Food-Hygiene-Standards/Food.aspx
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 →