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

Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling

4.9
4.9
1282 Reviews
£41 and over
British

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 4 times today
  • 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.
Private dining

Private dining

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    £41 and over
  • Cuisines
    British
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–1:30 pm Afternoon Tea Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 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
  • Neighbourhood
    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

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 1,282 people are saying

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
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.9Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

  • Cornwall

    Best Overall

  • Cornwall

    Best Food

  • Cornwall

    Best Service

  • Cornwall

    Best Ambience

  • Cornwall

    Best Value

  • Cornwall

    Innovative

  • Cornwall

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Cornwall

    Great for fine wines

  • Cornwall

    Romantic

  • Cornwall

    Great for scenic views

  • Cornwall

    Good for special occasions

  • Cornwall

    Lively

  • West Cornwall

    Best Overall

  • West Cornwall

    Best Food

  • West Cornwall

    Best Service

  • West Cornwall

    Best Ambience

  • West Cornwall

    Best Value

  • West Cornwall

    Good for groups

  • 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 an exquisite dining experience with a strong sustainability ethos, featuring "astonishing" creative dishes and attentive service. Guests rave about the "intensely creative" food, "stunning views" of Carbis Bay, and the "memorable" atmosphere. A perfect choice for special occasions, with many eager to return.

1,282 Reviews

  1. Elaine

    VIP

    London

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We are regular diners at The Ugly Butterfly however due to illness, had not been able to go for a few months so it was wonderful to 'be back' and we had a wonderful time. Amazing food, fantastic service with the most beautiful view too. Asked what our favourite dish of the way was, impossible to say as it was all excellent.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Mandy

    London

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous experience, incredible food and amazing service.

    Is this helpful?

  3. john

    London

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of our most enjoyable dining experiences. Every course was imaginative and full of flavour. Excellent service from the whole team. I’d recommend to anyone.

    Is this helpful?

  4. MARK

    Cornwall

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    If you want an afternoon tea fit for royalty. This is the place.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Jo

    Devon

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious afternoon tea for my mums bday. We all thoroughly enjoyed it, including our dog. Perfect amount of great quality food. Stunning views too. All courses nicely explained and all sustainable.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Jean

    New York City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Exquisite, creative and innovative menu The pairing was outstanding along with the service and the view

    Is this helpful?

  7. John

    Dublin

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Best meal I've ever had in my entire life. It was astonishing. Each course was beautifully prepared and intensely creative. The mission of Ugly Butterfly is really strong and can be tasted in every dish. We had a wonderful evening and basically had the restaurant to ourselves. Getting to speak to the chefs was especially memorable for us. Every single member of the team here is exceptional and there isn't an ATOM out of place. We felt so special to get to eat here. If you're on the fence, just go for it.

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  8. Leona

    Cornwall

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Ugly Butterfly provided us with a memorable dining experience that seamlessly combined sustainable practices with high quality food. The tasting menu offered us a series of beautifully presented dishes which were each full of flavour. We found it a challenge to narrow down a favourite as they were all equally stunning! The service was spot on, super attentive. We opted for the wine paring which we would highly recommend. The sommelier was clearly knowledgeable and enhanced the dining experience with the wine pairings.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Tony

    Oxford

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastically attentive staff, and beautiful venue. We even watched dolphins in the bay whilst we ate. Food was amazing and the staff explained the unique elements each course. Highly enjoyable afternoon.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Jonathan

    Cornwall

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious food, cocktails and wine, knowledgeable and friendly staff.... a wonderful evening.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling is rated 4.9 stars by 1282 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 4 times today
Google Map for Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling

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

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighbourhood
    St Ives
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–1:30 pm Afternoon Tea Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 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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