The Flat food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Exeter City
The Flat 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 6 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: 142 Fore Street, St Davids, Exeter, EX4 3AN
How it compares in Exeter City
That puts The Flat 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% | ← The Flat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 The Flat 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 Flat, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cake Or Death Limited Retailers - other | 58 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2026 |
| Alma Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 62 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 November 2025 |
| Bel's Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 104 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 January 2025 |
| Boulder Exe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 207 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 February 2026 |
| Bargain Buys Retailers - other | 236 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 January 2021 |
| Board/Pressed Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 309 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 June 2026 |
| Bombay Spice Indian Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 310 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2026 |
| Bishops Blaize Pub/bar/nightclub | 326 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 February 2018 |
Questions about The Flat
What is The Flat's food hygiene rating?
The Flat has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Exeter City Council on 6 February 2026.
Is The Flat 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 The Flat last inspected?
The Flat was last inspected on 6 February 2026, 5 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 The Flat?
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 The Flat compare to other places in Exeter City?
87% of the 999 rated food businesses in Exeter City hold the top rating of 5, and The Flat is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Exeter City Council inspects The Flat 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 Flat 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 Flat is one of 21 rated food businesses in St Davids. See every hygiene rating in St Davids →
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 →