Chef and restaurateur Adam Handling MBE has opened Ugly Butterfly 2.0 at The Headland in Newquay.

The Scottish chef originally opened Ugly Butterfly at the Carbis Bay Hotel in 2021, but recently announced that his time at the hotel had come to an end and the restaurant would close at the end of June.

With a key goal to re-house his team, the Ugly Butterfly 2.0 kitchen and front of house team are all joining from the recently closed venue.

The new restaurant menu offers a flexible ‘4×4’ offering, 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 bluefin tuna, preserved truffles, elderflower; the signature lobster, wagyu using sweeter, smaller St. Ives lobsters; texel cross Lamb, tandoori cauliflower, nasturtium; and freshly baked Tarte Tatin, served tableside.

Afternoon tea at Ugly Butterfly 2.0 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 hot-smoked fish tart; hazelnut, salted caramel bun and origin coffee cake.

Outside, a relaxed terrace menu serves indulgent comfort food that champions Cornish seafood with a laid-back twist.

Inside the restaurant, visual nods to Cornwall’s breathtaking natural landscape are woven throughout. Soft pink and pale green tones echo the shifting light from day to night, creating a backdrop for striking floral arrangements.

Local artist Olly Howe has created a mural which covers the restaurant exterior, capturing the sapphire, ruby and gold colours of the Ugly Butterfly logo. Aged-bronze butterfly installations appear to flutter gracefully around the artwork.

“With our Ugly Butterfly family coming back fighting and our elevated menu offering, we’ll be gunning for a Michelin star at Ugly Butterfly 2.0 and there’s no better place for us to be when shooting for it,” says Handling. “We’re really letting the natural surroundings take the lead – from the seasonal ingredients on the menu to how we’ve designed the space. Even the sunsets you can see from every window have played a part in shaping the look and feel of the place.”