Cornwall Gains a New Michelin Star

Cornwall has a new Michelin-starred restaurant as Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling in Newquay earns its first star ahead of reopening after a major refurbishment. The award joins Paul Ainsworth at No.6 and Nathan Outlaw’s Port Isaac stars.

Cornwall’s fine-dining map has a new Michelin-starred address after Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling picked up a coveted star at the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland ceremony in Dublin on Sunday 9 February 2026.

The accolade lands just days before the restaurant reopens at The Headland in Newquay on Tuesday 11 February following a major winter refurbishment, which includes a new kitchen, a redesigned bar and the addition of a dedicated Afternoon Tea Lounge.

The star is the first for Ugly Butterfly in its Newquay home and marks a second Michelin star for chef Adam Handling’s wider restaurant collection, following the continued success of Frog by Adam Handling in Covent Garden. The relaunch sees the main restaurant and terrace moving to a single tasting menu showcasing South West produce through a “hyper-local Cornish lens”, while the new Tea Lounge and bar introduce additional options including afternoon tea and a bar food menu centred around caviar and lobster.

In a statement issued ahead of the reopening, Handling said the restaurant has now had the time to become “the restaurant we always envisioned”, with a bigger focus on seafood to match its ocean views. He added that nearby sister venue The Tartan Fox will take a more meat-led approach, creating two distinct experiences under the same Cornish vision.

The new star strengthens Cornwall’s small but high-profile Michelin-starred scene. Other Michelin-starred restaurants in Cornwall include Paul Ainsworth at No.6 in Padstow, plus Nathan Outlaw’s two Port Isaac venues, Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen and Outlaw’s New Road.

©Justin De Souza

However, the county’s Michelin landscape is also changing. Nathan Outlaw has confirmed that Outlaw’s New Road will close, with its final service set for Saturday 28 March. The restaurant has announced it will mark its final weeks with a signature seafood tasting menu celebrating standout dishes from the past decade.

For Cornwall, Ugly Butterfly’s new star is both a headline moment and a sign of momentum, with Newquay now joining Padstow and Port Isaac as a Michelin-star destination. As one celebrated dining room prepares to bow out in March, another reopens this week with fresh investment, a refined experience and new Michelin recognition — offering food lovers a timely new reason to plan a trip to the north coast.