As Christmas approaches, and festive diners prepare to tuck in, the Burton Mail takes a close look at the food hygiene ratings for some of the cafés and restaurants in the town centre and further afield.
Below is your list of the top-ranked eating establishments in the town and surrounding districts - plus others which didn't fare so well at the hands of the inspectors.
Each of the 174 cafés and restaurants, catering firms and fast food diners in the area have been rated out of five by Food Standards Agency inspectors, and are assessed every four years.
Among those topping the dining tree with glowing five-star ratings are: 99 Station Street, Beefeater, Branston Cafe, Enricos, Frankie and Benny's, Helen's Bakehouse and Tearooms, Gurkha Curry Lounge, Mulberry Restaurant at Burton and South Derbyshire College, Pinocchios, Prince of Brewers, Rumbletums Cafe, The Alphabet Gift Shop and Cafe and The Winery.
Meanwhile, the lowest possible rating of zero went to Baan Thai in the High Street.
Following an inspection on July 31 this year it was found to be "in need of urgent improvement".
Its manager chose not to comment when approached by the Burton Mail.
It was followed by Dubai Cafe in Waterloo Street which achieved a one-star rating as it was found to be "in need of major improvement" - and Favourite Thai in Market Place was awarded two stars.
A spokesman for Dubai Café chose not to comment when approached by the Burton Mail.
The manager of Favourite Thai, who did not give his name, said that food standards inspectors returned four weeks after the May 10 inspection to change their rating to a perfect five.
He said its listing of two out of five was an error and he would be calling the food watchdog to check why the rating was still displayed as a two.
With a three out of five star ranking were Granary Canvas, Kwei Ping, The Nook and Cranny, The Red Carpet Cinema and Cafe Bar and Wychnor Park Country Club.
On four out of five are Apne India Cuisine, Bookuccinos Cafe, Exquisite, Royal Harris, The Bridge Inn, Toby Carvery, Tommy's Fish Bar and Veneziaa.
How the restaurants are assessed:
At an unannounced inspection, an environment officer from the council will check:
- How hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored;
- The condition of the structure of the buildings – the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities;
- How the business manages what it does to make sure food is safe and so that the officer can be confident standards will be maintained in the future;
Who gets inspected and what do the ratings mean?
- The numbered rating system applies to all businesses which sell food or contain catering services. This system - numbered zero through five - also has key terms assigned to each ranking
- Zero = urgent improvement necessary
- One = major improvement necessary
- Two = improvement necessary
- Three = generally satisfactory
- Four = good
- Five = very good
