Award-winning chef and restaurateur Adam Handling MBE is set to open a new chapter of his pioneering Cornish restaurant, Ugly Butterfly, this summer, as it moves from its previous location in St Ives. Ugly Butterfly 2.0 will open its doors at our iconic five-star hotel on 9^th July 2025.

This marks the beginning of an exciting partnership and a significant moment for Cornwall’s food scene. Located above the shores of Fistral Beach, the new restaurant will be the jewel in the crown of Newquay’s thriving culinary landscape.

Ugly Butterfly 2.0 represents a rebirth of Adam’s bold vision for sustainable British luxury – same ethos, same spirit, yet evolved in every way. The restaurant is all about how a guest would like to eat – offering a flexible ‘4x4’ menu, enabling guests to build their own journey through the South West’s larder, with four dishes in each section – plus the option to start with Porthilly oysters.

Highlights include ‘Cornish tuna, preserved truffles, elderflower’, a take on Adam’s signature ‘lobster, wagyu’ using sweeter, smaller St. Ives lobsters, ‘Lamb, tandoori cauliflower, wasabi leaf’, and freshly-baked Cornish apple tarts, served tableside. Although not from the South-West, bon bons from the Adam Handling chocolate shop will be making an appearance too.

Outside, a relaxed terrace menu serves indulgent comfort food that really champions Cornish seafood with a laid-back twist. From a chilled/raw seafood menu to St. Ives lobster rolls and freshly picked Cornish crab sandwiches in homemade milk buns. There’s also a Fish & Chips set menu with Champagne to bring back those nostalgic memories of days on the beach, whilst the dessert section features playful puddings like trifle and knickerbocker glory, utilising fresh fruit from neighbouring Mitchell Fruit Garden.

Afternoon tea at Ugly Butterfly is a modern, ingredient-led celebration of Cornish produce. Served in four courses – snacks, savouries, sweets and scones – the menu showcases regional flavour and creativity, with highlights including a ‘Pea tart, potato & caviar’, ‘Hog’s pudding sausage roll’, ‘Battenberg’, and ‘Cornish scones’ with a selection of jams and Rodda’s clotted cream. Guests can also opt to enjoy it with free-flowing bubbles, whether it be local Polgoon Seyval Blanc or Chef Adam’s favourite, Krug Champagne.

Adam Handling MBE, Chef / Owner of the Adam Handling Collection, said:

“As one door closes, another one opens – and this Ugly Butterfly 2.0 is a more fitting home for our most sustainable brand. We are taking this situation in an extremely positive light, building on what Ugly Butterfly has achieved and focusing on what we need to do to be even better.

There is no doubt that we will be gunning for a Michelin star in this restaurant. And what a place to do it - the iconic Cornish hotel, The Headland. They are a force to be reckoned with and their sustainable values and credentials are a true credit to them.

I will be predominantly based in Cornwall for this year, to relaunch this restaurant and it will, no doubt, give my Frog restaurant a run for its money. Frog will be our only tasting menu restaurant in the group, which showcases all ingredients around the British Isles.

This Ugly Butterfly restaurant will have food stations, so the guests can see dishes being made - there will be theatre, there will be smiles and most importantly, there will be a real celebration of the best of the South-West.“

The new space will seat 50 covers inside, 20 on the terrace, and 30 in the bar, designed to create a relaxed yet theatrical dining experience that breaks down the traditional boundaries of luxury dining. The restaurant will offer an outstanding wine list, with over 500 bins, making it one of the most extensive in Cornwall.

Ugly Butterfly 2.0 is just an 18-minute drive from Adam’s gastropub, The Tartan Fox, further cementing his presence in Cornwall. Adam now has a home in the county, having fallen in love with the region and its people. “I love the people and this place so much, I want to be part of the fabric of the community,” he says.

 Adam shares our values around local sourcing, sustainability and warm, inclusive service. 

The synergy between the two teams has been central to the development of this new restaurant, with all team members retained and integrated across both businesses – reinforcing both Adam Handling’s and The Headland’s commitment to year-round employment and long-term investment in Cornwall’s hospitality community.

Veryan Palmer, our Executive Director, said “We are excited to be welcoming Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling to The Headland to offer our guests a new dining experience in our iconic hotel.  The shared values of sustainability and community resonate between our operations, and we look forward to seeing the partnership develop”.

Ugly Butterfly 2.0 will be open seven days a week during the summer season and five days a week for the rest of the year. More details on the launch, menu, team and design will follow in the coming weeks.