The Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Dorset
The 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 20 January 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: Riversmeet Hardings Lane, Gillingham, SP8 4HX
How it compares in Dorset
That puts The Cafe among the 3,808 places in Dorset holding top marks, 95% 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 | 3,808 | 95% | ← The Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 139 | 3% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 33 | 1% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 5 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 1,119 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 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 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 The Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gillingham Town Football & Supporters Club Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2024 |
| Gillingham Town FC Takeaway/sandwich shop | 59 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2025 |
| Gillingham School School/college/university | 156 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2024 |
| Bracher Brothers Funeral Directors Other catering premises | 306 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Nanna Moons Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 311 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 September 2025 |
| Jaspers/Vape Odessey Retailers - other | 328 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2025 |
| Coffee and Canines Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 379 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 December 2024 |
| Re-Treat Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 379 yards away | Awaiting inspection |
Questions about The Cafe
What is The Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Dorset Council on 20 January 2026.
Is The 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 The Cafe last inspected?
The Cafe was last inspected on 20 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Dorset Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Cafe?
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 "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Cafe compare to other places in Dorset?
95% of the 3,988 rated food businesses in Dorset hold the top rating of 5, and The Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Dorset Council inspects The 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 The 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
The Cafe is one of 84 rated food businesses in Gillingham. See every hygiene rating in Gillingham →
Dorset inspects and rates 5,107 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Dorset →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.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 →