Cardiff Restaurants Hit with Worst Food Hygiene Ratings in 2026

Key Points

• 22 Cardiff Establishments Flagged: A total of 22 food premises across Cardiff, including city centre and Cardiff Bay venues, have been handed food hygiene ratings of zero or one by local authority inspectors.
• High-Profile Venues Affected: The list includes prominent venues such as Bacareto on Church Street, Coffi Co in Mermaid Quay, and The Sultan in Cardiff Bay—a venue that won Turkish Restaurant of the Year at the Food Awards Wales in both 2025 and 2026.
• Two Businesses Handed Zero Stars: Eat & Sip Market on Salisbury Road and Laziza Shawarma 2 on Clifton Street received a zero rating, denoting “urgent improvement necessary”.
• Management of Food Safety Cited: Major shortcomings in food safety management and paperwork were listed as primary drivers behind many of the low scores.
• Business Responses Issued: Affected owners highlighted swift remedial actions, equipment repairs, independent audits, and pending applications for official re-inspections.

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) August 10, 2026 – A total of 22 restaurants, cafés, and takeaways across Cardiff have been designated as requiring major or urgent improvement after receiving food hygiene ratings of one or zero stars from the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The comprehensive list features high-profile dining spots located in Cardiff city centre and Cardiff Bay, alongside neighborhood eateries in Cathays, Roath, Adamsdown, Riverside, Ely, Pontcanna, Grangetown, and Tongwynlais. Under the national scoring system administered by local authority environmental health officers, zero stars signifies that urgent improvement is necessary, while a single star indicates that major improvement is required to meet statutory food safety standards.

Which Popular Cardiff Establishments Received Low Food Hygiene Ratings?

As reported by Conor Gogarty of WalesOnline, several widely recognized establishments across the capital were assigned single-star ratings following recent local authority inspections:

• Bacareto (13 Church Street, City Centre): Inspected on June 2, 2026, the venue received a one-star rating. Inspectors noted that hygienic food handling required improvement, the cleanliness and condition of the building were generally satisfactory, and the management of food safety needed major improvement. As reported by Conor Gogarty of WalesOnline, a spokesperson for Bacareto stated: “Following our recent EHO inspection, some equipment and paperwork issues were identified on that day. We appreciated these being brought to our attention and we are pleased to say that they were addressed swiftly. Our application for a re-rating was submitted and paid for several weeks ago and we look forward to welcoming the EHO back. We are confident that our current excellent standards at Bacareto will be reflected in a higher rating imminently.”
• The Sultan (The Big Windsor, Stuart Place, Cardiff Bay): Inspected on May 24, 2026, the restaurant was given a food hygiene rating of one star. While cleanliness and facility conditions were recorded as generally satisfactory, hygienic food handling required improvement, and food safety management required major improvement. The venue had previously won Turkish Restaurant of the Year at the Food Awards Wales in both 2025 and 2026. As reported by Conor Gogarty of WalesOnline, a spokesperson for The Sultan stated: “We are naturally disappointed with the food hygiene rating and fully accept the findings of the inspection. The main issues identified related to a faulty chilled display unit, which resulted in temperature control problems affecting the quality of some food products. As part of the appeal process, we understand that a reinspection of our premises will be carried out to verify our food safety systems. We have comprehensive evidence available that Cardiff council is aware of in support of our appeal… We engaged an independent food hygiene consultant to conduct a thorough review of our procedures, arranged additional refresher training for all staff, and reviewed every point raised in the inspection report to ensure complete consistency across the business.”
• Coffi Co (Unit 31, Mermaid Quay, Tacoma Square, Cardiff Bay): Inspected on November 20, 2025, the coffee shop received a rating of one star. Council officers evaluated hygienic food handling as generally satisfactory, physical cleanliness and facility condition as requiring improvement, and food safety management as requiring major improvement.

Which Other Cardiff Restaurants and Takeaways Were Rated One or Zero Stars?

According to data published by the Food Standards Agency, 20 additional premises across the city were handed low hygiene scores:

Zero-Star Establishments (“Urgent Improvement Necessary”)

1. Eat & Sip Market (116 Salisbury Road, Cathays): Inspected on June 24, 2026. Officers determined that hygienic food handling and physical cleanliness required improvement, while management of food safety required urgent improvement.
2. Laziza Shawarma 2 (11 Clifton Street, Adamsdown): Inspected on March 11, 2026. Inspectors found that hygienic food handling and facility cleanliness both required major improvement, with management of food safety requiring urgent improvement.

One-Star Establishments (“Major Improvement Necessary”)

• Troy Meze Bar (15 Wellfield Road, Roath): Inspected on June 18, 2026. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness and building condition (improvement necessary), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• Cafe Castan (Llandaff Fields, Penhill Road, Pontcanna): Inspected on May 20, 2026. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness and building condition (generally satisfactory), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• Mighty Cod (37 Clifton Street, Adamsdown): Inspected on May 12, 2026. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (generally satisfactory), cleanliness and building condition (major improvement necessary), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• Indian Street Truck (Rainbow Bargains, Albany Road, Roath): Inspected on April 22, 2026. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness and building condition (improvement necessary), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• Rocket Joes (150 City Road, Roath): Inspected on June 3, 2026. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness and building condition (improvement necessary), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• Curry Hut Cardiff (96 Salisbury Road, Cathays): Inspected on January 27, 2026. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness and building condition (improvement necessary), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• Kebab Slemany (44 Broadway, Adamsdown): Inspected on January 21, 2026. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness and building condition (improvement necessary), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• Wings of Glory (44 Tudor Street, Riverside): Inspected on September 5, 2025. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness and building condition (generally satisfactory), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• The Grand Naan Curry House (357A Grand Avenue, Ely): Inspected on September 29, 2025. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (generally satisfactory), cleanliness and building condition (improvement necessary), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• First Light Cafe (51A Merthyr Road, Tongwynlais): Inspected on September 19, 2025. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (generally satisfactory), cleanliness and building condition (very good), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• Dunya (55 Corporation Road, Grangetown): Inspected on September 25, 2025. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness and building condition (generally satisfactory), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• Cardiff Pizza Company (150A Crwys Road, Cathays): Inspected on September 20, 2025. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness and building condition (generally satisfactory), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).
• Ely Fish Bar (121 Bishopston Road, Caerau): Inspected on August 6, 2025. Assessment: Hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness and building condition (generally satisfactory), management of food safety (major improvement necessary).

What Criteria Do Food Safety Inspectors Use During Inspections?

Environmental health officers working on behalf of local authorities inspect food business premises against three principal categories set out by the Food Standards Agency:

1. Hygienic Food Handling: Including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling, and storage protocols.
2. Cleanliness and Condition of Facilities and Building: Encompassing hand washing facilities, ventilation, pest control, layout, and general upkeep.
3. Management of Food Safety: Evaluating administrative controls, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) documentation, staff training, and record-keeping.

Where inspectors identify imminent risks to public health, local authorities possess emergency statutory powers to issue prohibition notices, halting specific operations or closing premises completely until required remediations are verified.

What Is the Background to Cardiff’s Food Hygiene Inspection System?

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme in Wales operates under a statutory framework distinct from other parts of the United Kingdom. Under the Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013, food businesses in Wales are legally mandated to display their valid food hygiene rating sticker prominently at every customer entrance.

The Welsh statutory scheme aims to promote transparency, drive up commercial standards, and empower consumers to make informed choices. Ratings range from zero (the lowest) to five (the highest, indicating very good hygiene standards). Local councils conduct unannounced inspections at frequencies determined by the risk profile of the business type and its historical compliance record.

When a lower rating is issued, business owners retain statutory rights to appeal the score within a specified timeframe, submit a right-of-reply statement explaining corrective measures, or pay a statutory fee to request an official re-inspection once required rectifications have been completed.

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How Will These Low Hygiene Ratings Impact Cardiff Diners and Hospitality Businesses?

The publication of low hygiene ratings creates direct operational, financial, and reputational consequences for both consumers and business operators across Cardiff.

Impact on Consumers and Diners

For local diners and visitors to Cardiff, public disclosure of hygiene ratings provides actionable information when deciding where to eat. In Wales, mandatory sticker display at venue entrances ensures that potential customers are immediately aware of compliance issues, such as temperature control failures or administrative gaps in food safety management. Publication allows consumers to assess whether a venue aligns with their personal standards before purchasing food.

Impact on Hospitality Operators

For affected businesses, receiving a zero or one-star rating frequently leads to an immediate drop in footfall and revenue. High-profile award winners and city-centre venues risk significant brand erosion, particularly when negative ratings are amplified through regional reporting and social media platforms.

Financially, operators must absorb the costs of mandatory remedial steps, including equipment repair or replacement, hiring external hygiene consultants, re-training personnel, and paying municipal re-inspection fees. However, businesses that act rapidly to resolve identified deficiencies—such as submitting appeal evidence, installing updated temperature monitoring systems, and updating administrative records—can secure prompt re-inspections to restore higher ratings and regain consumer trust.