1,708 food businesses inspected. Average rating: 4.5 out of 5. 68.3% rated "very good".
Food hygiene ratings in Southampton are assessed under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS), operated by the Food Standards Agency in partnership with local authorities. Every food business that handles, stores, prepares, or sells food is inspected by trained environmental health officers. Ratings run from 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good). The inspection covers hygienic food handling, the physical condition of the premises, and how food safety is managed.
The source snapshot contains 1,708 registered food businesses for Southampton. Of these, 1,493 have been rated under the FHRS. The area performs broadly in line with the national average, with 68.3% rated 5 out of 5. The average rating across the authority is 4.5 out of 5. The snapshot contains 25 businesses rated 0 or 1, meaning they required urgent or major improvement to meet food hygiene standards.
If you are eating out in this area, look for the green FHRS sticker displayed at the entrance of food premises. Businesses rated 3 or above are generally considered satisfactory, but a rating of 5 gives the strongest assurance. If a business has a low rating, it does not necessarily mean the food is unsafe right now, as improvements may have been made since the last inspection, but it does indicate that significant issues were found.
| Name | Address | Rating | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky Star | SO14 0JR | 0 | Mar 20, 2026 |
| New Oriental | SO18 4QD | 0 | Mar 18, 2026 |
| Arrow News | SO16 9DD | 1 | Feb 10, 2026 |
| Bangla Balti House | SO16 6TJ | 1 | Oct 11, 2025 |
| Bestone Testwood Stores | SO15 8RP | 1 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| Bitterne Post Office | SO18 6TG | 1 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| Cattle Steakhouse | SO14 1JX | 1 | Mar 06, 2026 |
| Ceylon junction | SO18 1FY | 1 | Jun 03, 2026 |
| China Garden | SO16 4DB | 1 | Jun 10, 2026 |
| China Town Oriental Supermarket | SO15 3ND | 1 | May 08, 2026 |
| Dhaliwal Store | SO14 0DT | 1 | May 12, 2026 |
| Dragon's Den | SO19 9AD | 1 | Nov 10, 2025 |
| Farm Foods Ltd | SO17 2NH | 1 | Nov 17, 2025 |
| Happy Garden Chines Takeaway | SO18 5TP | 1 | May 07, 2026 |
| International Foods | SO14 0DQ | 1 | Feb 15, 2025 |
The source snapshot contains 1,020 food businesses in Southampton with the highest FHRS rating of 5 (Very Good), representing 68.3% of all rated establishments. A rating of 5 means that the business was found to have very good hygiene standards at the time of inspection.
A food hygiene rating of 1 means 'Major Improvement Necessary'. This indicates that the food business was found to have significant problems with hygiene standards during its most recent inspection. The business is required to make substantial improvements. While it can remain open, it should be re-inspected to confirm improvements have been made.
Inspection frequency in Southampton depends on the risk level of the business. High-risk establishments (such as those with previous low ratings) may be inspected every 6 months, while low-risk businesses with a consistent rating of 5 may only be inspected every 2-3 years. The local authority's environmental health team manages the inspection schedule.