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Hours
Tue
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Wed
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm12:00 pm - 5:00 pm5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Thu
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm12:00 pm - 5:00 pm5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm12:00 pm - 5:00 pm5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Sat
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm12:00 pm - 5:00 pm5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
MICHELIN
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
Travellers' Choice 2024
MICHELIN
View more on MICHELIN GuideRATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, British, Vegan options
Special Occasion Dining, Romantic, View, Groups, Bar Scene, Business meetings
MICHELIN Guide's Point of View
From dry ice in the snacks to the original use of beetroot in the desserts, expect creative cooking that is designed to impress at this wonderfully con...
Read more on MICHELIN GuideMenu
Can a vegetarian person get a good meal at this restaurant?
Details
About
In a stunning Cornish Atlantic setting, just a mile from St Ives, Ugly Butterfly restaurant and bar offers spectacular views across one of the worlds most beautiful coasts, Carbis Bay. Ugly Butterfly showcases chef Adam Handling’s passion for converting locally-sourced, quality ingredients into beautifully-presented dishes, packed full of flavour. Offering an all-day dining experience, the Ugly Butterfly bar uses trims and offcuts from the ingredients used in the restaurant to create delicious drinks and bar snacks. This bar menu will illustrate that there is no such thing as food waste, much in the same way that there is no such thing as an Ugly Butterfly.
CUISINES
British
Special Diets
Vegan options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Digital Payments, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Waterfront, Beach, Family style, Non-smoking restaurants
Contribute
4.5
235 reviews
Excellent
193
Very good
20
Average
13
Poor
6
Terrible
3
Fit Foodie at 40
Helston3 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
As a long-time fan of food shows like Great British Menu and Masterchef, I’ve admired Adam Handling’s talent and eagerly awaited the chance to sample his creations. My daughter and partner, both avid foodies, are huge fans of his and have dined here a few times. They’ve also recently tried his new Cornish venture at the Tartan Fox, but this was my first opportunity to visit—and it was well worth the wait.
For my 50th birthday (a milestone that seemed to arrive in the blink of an eye), my family gifted me a voucher for this restaurant. Although we waited a few months after the birthday to visit, as Nathan Outlaw was my actual birthday destination, the dining experience here was every bit as exceptional.
I decided to treat my parents, and after some deliberation between afternoon tea or a full dinner, we opted for the afternoon tea—and I’m so glad we did.
The location is unbeatable, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering stunning views of Carbis Bay beach, where a wedding party was having their photos taken below. The setting was picture-perfect.
The service was impeccable, with the staff’s attention to detail elevating the experience beyond just a meal. Our server took the time to explain each dish and its provenance, making the entire experience feel like a journey.
As each course arrived, the sense of theatre grew, as did the complexity and layers of flavors. Each bite was a small masterpiece, packed with an astonishing depth of taste and texture. The skill involved in crafting these perfectly balanced mouthfuls is simply extraordinary.
For me, this experience ranks among the very best. I would easily place it in my top five dining experiences, alongside Nathan Outlaw, Kota, and Kota Kai (incidentally, also Great British Menu alumni). The value is incredible—worth every penny, and frankly, I’d say it’s a bargain at twice the price. Great British Menu).
Written 29 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen C
West Sussex174 contributions
Jul 2024 • couples
We were here as a very special treat at the start of our honeymoon and everything about our meal set the tone for our amazing holiday.
Every single member of staff was friendly and welcoming - but never intrusive - and all showed a genuine excitement both to be working there and to tell us about the food. A lovely touch, again that set the tone, was a "happy honeymoon" card on our table, signed by every single member of staff!
The location and building are perfect, with the large windows giving a sweeping view across the bay. We had the taster menu, which was exquisite. Each course was beautifully constructed and excellently presented by a member of the team. (Often also by the chef who'd prepared it.) The "why waste" ethos really came through, showing how offcuts and parts usually discarded could be truly delicious in their own right.
The dry ice spectacle of the "snacks" centrepiece is just the sort of culinary showmanship you expect to see on television and it was delighting to see it right before our eyes.
It's important to stress that for a high-end, high-price venue, NONE of the popular negative culture clichés applied. (Nobody looking down saying "wrong glass, sir" or that sort of thing.) Instead every member of staff felt like a friend and it was no surprise to later learn that several of them were national award finalists in their respective fields.
Every single course was unique and delicious, including things we'd never tried before - plus an effortless gluten free alternative across the board for my wife. (Courses had either been remade gluten free, or substituted with clear explanation. She didn't miss out on anything.)
As someone who doesn't drink, I was also thrilled that every item on their cocktail menu also had a zero alcohol alternative, so even with the drinks I was able to have new experiences.
Special mention should go to Hayley and Nick, with whom I corresponded to make our booking and for whom nothing was too much trouble, and also particularly to our waiter James who was an expert showman, clearly relishing revealing each new course but also never intruding.
We enjoyed ourselves so much that we returned the following week for afternoon tea, which was also an amazing experience.
In summary, the best meal of my life.
Written 1 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wilbrabbit
11 contributions
Oct 2024 • family
The Ugly Butterfly is situated on Carbis Bay with the most stunning views imaginable. It is not our first visit but was a celebration of two birthdays and a wedding anniversary and from our earlier experience we travelled some distance to get there.
The food was excellent as always for an Adam Handling restaurant and so was the service and we enjoyed ourselves.
However we noticed a slight change of focus this time. We had the tasting menu which was lovely but there were rather a lot of options which carried a supplement which for a party of six adds a large chunk to the bill.
Specifically we ordered a dozen Oysters costing £25 a half dozen. They were lovely but when served we were approached about having a drizzle of local vinegar or some whisky on them and it only transpired later that this drizzle cost £5 each. This was not made clear.
Having been to several of Adam’s restaurants over the years it was also a little disappointing that we were not offered a small complimentary glass of something on arrival having brought family with us based on our earlier experience.
All that said the food, ambience, service and views are lovely. Perhaps the focus on charging for every tiny aspect is a little disappointing.
Written 13 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hertsreviews
London30 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
Service was great, attentive, friendly and not in your face.
Some of the dishes were not quite up to expectations considering the eye-watering cost and reputation. Here are some lowlights:
-The gazpacho style soup was really pretty average and something that anyone could put together quickly.
-The lobster tails were way too spicy, they really don’t need Tabasco, they were obviously a quality ingredient but drowned out with what tasted like bottled spice. I usually reserve my Tabasco for the blandest of beans on toast.
-Over salting. Seems to be a common problem at this class of restaurant. You don’t need to over salt Wagyu beef, there is enough flavour inherently in the meat, and you should definitely taste the jus/sauce before reaching for the salt.
-The Chocolate desert tasted like a single, heavy, ganache with little contrast.
On a positive note, the cocktails were excellent and had very unique flavours. The mushroom/egg custard amuse bouche was also divine.
Perhaps a bit more thought around getting the seasoning and spice levels right and less thoughts on constantly expressing how everything gets used and there is no food waste.
Would I go back? No. Should you go? Perhaps if you can tolerate the additional 15% that gets whacked on as a service charge – that’s a little steep considering the cost is so high anyway.
Written 2 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew P
Boston1 contribution
May 2024 • couples
As patrons of Michelin-starred restaurants, our expectations were high as we entered The Ugly Butterfly in Cornwall. However, our dining experience left much to be desired.
Firstly, the “boneless” chicken dish arrived with an unexpected bone which was lodged in my throat disrupting the otherwise enjoyable meal. Upon bringing it to the staff’s attention, a manager never came over which was a disappointing response for such egregious an oversight.
Our bill included charges for drinks we never ordered or consumed, highlighting a lack of attention to detail in the service. Additionally, our request for still water was met with sparkling water, and the cognac we ordered was not served in a warm glass as requested.
Considering the hefty price tag of £600 for our meal, we had expected impeccable service and flawless execution. Unfortunately, The Ugly Butterfly fell short of these standards, leaving us feeling underwhelmed and dissatisfied.
Written 8 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James T
11 contributions
May 2024 • couples
We visited for our anniversary after wanting to go to one of Adam’s restaurants for ages. We were not disappointed! It is expensive but the quality of the dishes were absolutely banging. The staff were very attentive and every dish tasted unreal. This was made even better by the seafront view . The only feedback is that the lamb dish needed something acidic / minty. The main was quite salty but packed a punch. All in all it was incredible. Great service and amazing food. We opted for a bottle instead of the wine pairing but the team even explained the provenance and where we can go and visit the vineyard. Overall excellent and we can’t wait to go back. Thank you.
Written 22 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michele209940
Skipton148 contributions
Jun 2023 • friends
We visited the Ugly Butterfly last year with friends whilst on our annual visit to Cornwall and all agreed that this was our best meal of the year.
Sadly this was not the case this year and we were disappointed for a few reasons :
The atmosphere of the previous year was missing and the restaurant was quiet in comparison.
The gentleman who waited on us appeared to have a slight tinge of boredom and treated us as if he’d decided we were a table that did not have much knowledge of food and were inexperienced at eating at restaurants of this standard both of which he could not be more wrong.
The hogget course arrived and contained to our amazement 2 pieces of cartilage and not particularly small pieces. We advised staff of this for which an apology was received and offered our cheese course already ordered free of charge.
On the positive and to add, the sommelier was excellent and by far the most informative, professional and friendly member of staff.
We have been in contact with the Ugly Butterfly who advised they will be ‘elevating’ the experience and offering a new menu.
At over £700 for 3 people we found the offer of a (very small ) cheese course quite inadequate to cover a rather major error of the failure of cartilage being removed.
Despite being assured we will be well looked after at the next visit we had booked in September we would have preferred to be well looked after on the evening itself and have consequently cancelled the booking.
This was not about expecting a refund as we quite happily spent double this last year for what was an excellent evening but more about the way the error was handled at the time .
To the waiter, please be cautious of jumping to conclusions about customers you are serving.
Written 26 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melissa S
5 contributions
Jul 2024 • couples
We had a spectacular meal at the Ugly Butterfly. The staff were very attentive and knowledgeable. All of the food was well curated and included interesting, seasonal fare. As I’m pregnant, they were very accommodating, explaining things courses that might not be suitable for me, and the non-alcoholic pairing was fabulous, such that I didn’t miss the wine! Our favourite course was the sturgeon, which was an optional extra, and well worth the additional cost!
Written 26 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Janey H
Leeds191 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
The best view of all the Michelin star experience restaurants I’ve been to. The view from floor to ceiling glass over Carbis Bay, is simply stunning.
However the food and wine flyte were superior at most of the other Michelin star “taster chef menu” restaurants like L’Enclume, Black Swan Oldstead etc. So you defo pay for the environment as Ugly Butterfly is apparently not starred yet.
The sustainability agenda is a little forced in light of the value.
The staff are very attentive and no complaints about service the whole experience is flamboyant and theatrical.
I’d say this was the most expensive taster menu I’ve experienced, at £700 approx for three of us and only one had the classic wine pairing, the other two had a carafe of Chardonnay to share. Albeit for me, that was the best wine at £50 for a carafe.
That would put me off returning to the restaurant for the taster menu again, but I’d happily go back for the more sensibly priced bar menu and the view.
Profit is the name of the game here and it’s a good experience if you’ve a spare grand to throw about and want a stunning environment.
Written 30 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mr & Mrs D
Devon176 contributions
Feb 2024 • couples
We can not give this restaurant anything but a 5* star review. The food is first class, imaginative and superbly presented. Handlings philosophy on food waste is to be heralded and the results are some amazing dishes. The initial snacks were simply fantastic and the venison dish was superb, that said all the courses were excellent, although a little too much chilli with the scallops for my taste. The staff are knowledgeable and helpful and the setting is amazing, although best seen during the day when the views across the bay are stunning.
We have to comment that it could be quite an expensive experience! If you add oysters to start with, the additional 'All about the sturgeon' course and a cheese course, this will bump up your final bill, the wine and champagne keeps it going too! We have visited many Michelin Starred restaurants so 'get it' but it did feel like we were paying London prices in Cornwall, but no real surprise there!
With that in mind we would recommend you go, if you love 'fine dining', which we do, this is what it is all about these days. A chef who is at the top of hos game offering sustainable local luxury, showcasing local ingredients (Their words, but we have to agree!).
Written 13 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Harriet L
2 contributions
Aug 2023 • family
I am a big foodie who was excited to take his two daughters to Adam Handling's highly rated restaurant.
Location and the view were beautiful, but it was a shame to see the windows were filthy.
To hear by the first of many servers that Adam is rarely even involved with the restaurant anymore was very disappointing, as this is a one off experience due to the costs that we were willing to pay as we were excited to eat Adam's food.
From the first drinks order until the final course we had up to 8 different servers making the whole dining experience very impersonal and messy to the point where most staff were in casual dress looking scruffy so you didn't know if they were a server or someone coming for a chat.
The food overall was very nice and presented beautifully although the three of us ordered the pescatarian menu but on receiving the chicken butter and parfait we had to inform the server that they'd taken our order incorrectly. We also found it amusing to say the least that our server basically insisted that we should have truffle for an extra £25pp on certain dishes to 'enhance' them. You would expect at £135 per head that the dishes would arrive at their premium and not require any additional add ons at huge expense to improve them! The dishes didn't require the truffle in any case as they were delicious without it. We completely understand if people require truffle as an additional but the server should not insist that the dish would be better including truffle, as if that is the case please include the truffle in the cost.
As a diner, you did feel slightly belittled not having the truffle!
Very disappointed that they served one of the courses whilst my daughter had gone to the restroom and still carried on serving the two of us before she had returned, totally unacceptable in a restaurant of this quality. The confusion must be down to not having specific servers looking after their individual tables, resulting in bad communication between the team.
Was very excited to taste Adam Handling's Great British Menu winning dessert 'Food Fight' only to be told "we've changed it and in our opinion its better than Adam's!"
I'm aware this review seems negative but I feel that for the amount charged for this experience a true and honest opinion is required. In this case, food was good but the whole experience was underwhelming.
Written 17 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bruno B
Woodbury Salterton177 contributions
Feb 2023 • couples
Special birthday treat from my lovely wife. We had dined at the Frog in London, and had found it so amazing and memorable that we were impatiently looking forward to another comparable experience at the Ugly Butterfly. Sadly, it was a significant disappointment; reason for my "very good" rating instead of "excellent". Although the food was delicious, it was not quite as extraordinary as at the Frog. But what largely spoilt our enjoyment and experience was... the service. In spite of the fact that everyone was extremely friendly, welcoming and upbeat, during the entire dinner, everything felt RUSHED! Why??? Especially when the restaurant was only half full (at most) with only a total of 5 or 6 tables of two, and we had the earliest possible booking in the evening! Our plates were whisked away only seconds after we had swallowed the last mouthful, the courses came one after the other faster than in a military canteen! And every member of the waiting staff was literally "brisk walking" through the restaurant during the entire evening. Half-way through the meal we mentioned it gently and politely to one of the young waitresses, asking her if they could slow down a little. From her face and body language, she obviously did NOT enjoy receiving this feedback, and absolutely nothing changed. We noticed that at least one other couple seemed to also say something similar to another staff member. With regrets, we will not go back, and will not recommend it, unlike Frog.
Written 18 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nikki B
Bournemouth7 contributions
Feb 2023 • couples
We visited today for the first time. We were warmly welcomed by the bar team who were fabulous. However when we moved to the restaurant, although the food were amazing, the service , music and ambience were disappointing. Our “snacks”arrived before we had chosen or been offered any wine, and on asking a advice about the wine we were told an £80 bottle or a £6 bottle was no different as the server didn’t know much about wine - perhaps a sommelier might be worth a thought ? The dance music was a bit too fast for the ambience and believe me - I am a raver! The whole meal just felt a bit rushed and when asked if we wanted our bill before we had even finished, a bit much for a £350 bill. We left the restaurants without so much as a goodbye, would you like a taxi or would you like anything else . Thank you for an amazing meal, but service wise , still a bit of work to do !
Written 4 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mfaHampshire
Andover13 contributions
Nov 2023 • couples
Another fabulous visit to our favourite restaurant. The staff without exception were friendly welcoming and well informed. We chose the tasting menu with paired wine and it was wonderful. The team are working from very early in the morning to prepare everything for the complex dishes. There is a zero waste policy and this is applied in a really creative way. We were seated at the counter and it was fascinating to see the experts in action. We love that Adam also takes on very young staff and provides a superb supportive learning experience to develop skills. It is expensive but we can see why and it is really worth a treat on special occasions. We can’t wait to visit again. Well done and thank you everyone.
Written 7 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amanda V
2 contributions
Feb 2025 • friends
What a fantastic evening of fabulous food and super service. The whole experience was 5 star plus plus. We sat at the chef’s counter and had such a great time interacting with the chefs and front of house.
The food is incredibly detailed and super tasty. Still haven’t got my head around waste wine as there never is any in my kitchen!!
We loved everything and the changes made to accommodate my friend’s shellfish allergy were so beautiful. If a chef can make a beetroot dish that my husband devoured and loved they have my respect!!
Adam your team did you proud and we will most certainly be back.
Written 14 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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