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Dining with a sea view - Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling, St Ives, Cornwall

Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling

4.9 (1362)
£41 and over
British
Carbis Bay HotelCarbis Bay, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 2NP

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 10 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for scenic views
  • Innovative
Ugly Butterfly, located in the iconic Carbis Bay, just a mile from St Ives in Cornwall, opened in August 2021. In keeping with Adam’s ethos, there’s a strong focus on sustainability.
There’s no such thing as an Ugly Butterfly, in the same way as there’s no such thing as food waste.

The restaurant and bar offers a relaxed experience, with surreal surroundings. We are lucky to
have one of the most beautiful views of the Cornish coast, overlooking the ocean so that guests can
watch the dolphins and seals. The sound of the ocean and the innovative utilisation of our local
ingredients makes guests forget they’re even in the UK.

Our afternoon tea experience takes guests on a journey around Cornwall, celebrating the
best of Cornish produce. The tea itself is grown on the Cornish Tregothnan Estate – the first tea fields in the UK.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    £41 and over
  • Cuisines
    British
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 12:00 pm–1:30 pm Afternoon Tea Daily 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    01736 805800
  • Website
    http://www.uglybutterfly.co.uk/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Adam Handling
  • Private party facilities
    Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling lucky to have one of the most beautiful views of the Cornish coast. Our open plan restaurant lends itself to semi-private dining, as well as large private hire events and weddings. No matter the celebration, Ugly Butterfly is the perfect location.
  • Private party contact
    Nick: 01736 805800
  • Location
    Carbis Bay HotelCarbis Bay, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 2NP
  • Neighborhood
    St Ives
  • Parking details
    Parking is available within and next to the Carbis Bay Estate
  • Public transit
    BY RAIL The nearest station is Carbis Bay on the St Ives branch line. There are frequent regular connecting services to St Erth station (on the London to Penzance main line). From the train station it is only a short walk down the hill to the Estate.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Outdoor Smoking Area, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Private dining

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 1,362 people are saying

Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

  • Cornwall

    Best Ambiance

  • Cornwall

    Innovative

  • Cornwall

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Cornwall

    Great for fine wines

  • Cornwall

    Romantic

  • Cornwall

    Great for scenic views

  • Cornwall

    Good for special occasions

  • West Cornwall

    Best Overall

  • West Cornwall

    Best Food

  • West Cornwall

    Best Ambiance

  • West Cornwall

    Great for fine wines

  • West Cornwall

    Romantic

  • West Cornwall

    Good for special occasions

  • West Cornwall

    Lively

  • West Cornwall

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling offers a delightful dining experience with "stunning views" of Carbis Bay. The "food is sensational," creatively using local produce. Guests praise the "exceptional service" and "attentive staff," making it ideal for special occasions. Afternoon tea is a standout, featuring "imaginative and delicious" selections.
1,362 Reviews

  1. Caroline

    Cornwall1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous, from the moment you walked in to going home, EVERYONE made you feel welcome 😊

    Is this helpful?

  2. Suzanne

    Austin7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of the most innovative and delicious dinners we have ever had, and the vibe of this place is hands down incredibly soothing. From the moment we walked in, it was inviting and Mikey and Tilley made us feel like honored guests at this 7 course feast. Every single bite of food was fabulous and the view of the ocean made for an unforgettable experience in this part of Cornwall. Everyone should have an opportunity to enjoy such service, exquisitely prepared food, and a staff that genuinely seemed pleased to be there to make us feel so special.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Harry

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely high tea with stunning view across the bay. Teally nice staff

    Is this helpful?

  4. OpenTable Diner

    Devon1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Nothing to fault during our three and a half hours at Ugly Butterfly. Perfection.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Michelle

    Inverness / Scottish Highlands3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Just fabulous! A beautiful setting with the most amazing views. The food was outstanding, one of the most flavour packed tasting menus that we have done and we have done many! Service was very good, friendly not too stuffy and every dish was explained fully. Highly recommend!

    Is this helpful?

  6. godfrey

    London7 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We are regular "fine diners" but were somewhat disappointed by the Chef's Menu, which to us was rather a "Curate's Egg". The Wasted Snacks were innovative and enjoyable as were the Cornish Golden Gras with chicken butter. The Spider Crab was, for us, too spicy which overwhelmed the delicate crabmeat. The Cod, fennel and wild garlic was well cooked, delicate and the star. The Orkney Scallop was rather overcooked and overpowered by the XO sherry sauce. My wife had the duck, which was excellent, but my Brill, from the piscatorial menu was rather dry and disappointing. The Cornish lemon and white chocolate dessert was excellent, but the final sweets with jam and cream were pointless and would be better replaced with a sorbet or similar, perhaps before the dessert. On the positive side, the location and sea view are excellent and the waiting staff are knowledgeable and attentive.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Giles

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food, service and view. We will go back the only slight negative was the coffee experience at the end which although very nice did not match the rest of the meal in quality. It also lacked some of his nice chocolate.........

    Is this helpful?

  8. Robson

    Liverpool/Merseyside1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Insane. Insane. Insane. Insane. Insane. Insane. Insane.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Paula

    Bath/Somerset1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful amazing food , stunning location and excellent service … made my husband feel special as it was his birthday treat ! Lovely experience from the moment we walked through the door … well done indeed The Ugly Butterfly would def recommend and return

    Is this helpful?

  10. Kristen VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Easily a 2 Michelin Star dining experience! The food is innovative, beautifully presented, and quite appetizing. The staff is engaging, professional, and informed. I hope to return!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling is rated 4.9 stars by 1362 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United Kingdom
  3. Cornwall
  4. West Cornwall
  5. St Ives

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 10 times today
Google Map for Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling

Carbis Bay HotelCarbis Bay, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 2NP

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    St Ives
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 12:00 pm–1:30 pm Afternoon Tea Daily 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    £41 and over
  • Cuisines
    British
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Parking is available within and next to the Carbis Bay Estate
  • Public transit
    BY RAIL The nearest station is Carbis Bay on the St Ives branch line. There are frequent regular connecting services to St Erth station (on the London to Penzance main line). From the train station it is only a short walk down the hill to the Estate.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Adam Handling
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Outdoor Smoking Area, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.uglybutterfly.co.uk/
  • Phone number
    01736 805800
  • Private party facilities
    Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling lucky to have one of the most beautiful views of the Cornish coast. Our open plan restaurant lends itself to semi-private dining, as well as large private hire events and weddings. No matter the celebration, Ugly Butterfly is the perfect location.
  • Private party contact
    Nick: 01736 805800
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