Makes us hungry looking at all that food!
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn morePork chop at Adam Handling’s The Tartan Fox in Summercourt (Image: John Hersey / The Tartan Fox )
Come February and the new edition of the prestigious Michelin Guide will come out, showcasing which restaurant and cafe has earned a coveted Michelin star or has earned a Bib Gourmand gong.
Before a restaurant can be handed one, two or, rarest of all, three Michelin stars, it must first be part of the Michelin Guide.
The foodie Bible is put together by anonymous inspectors who travel the globe judging restaurants on their mastery of flavour, quality of produce and consistency. New entries into the guide are announced every month.
The Michelin Guide added 25 restaurants to its roster of inspector-approved eateries in December alone. Among them are destination spots on the islands of Skye in Scotland and Guernsey in the Channel Islands, new ventures from big-name chefs like Rafael Cagali and Devon-chef Michael Caines, and two restaurants in Dublin, the host city of the Michelin Guide Ceremony 2026 – where all the new Michelin stars will be unveiled on Monday, February 9.
While Michelin Stars and Bib Gourmands are only revealed at the annual Michelin Guide ceremony, the guide inspectors add restaurants to the selection all year round.
Below we look at the Cornwall restaurants which were added to the guide over the past 12 months.
Counter Culture – 4 Beach Parade, Beach Road, Newquay
Newquay Basque influence restaurant Counter Culture was added to the Michelin Guide in December 2025 (Image: Counter Culture )
With a Basque influence, Counter Culture and Pinxtos Bar aim to be a “vibrant ode to refined rebellion with its own San Sebastian inspired food offering”.
On its website, the restaurant, which made it into the guide in December, said: “We pour an expertly curated selection of cocktails, ales, beers, wines, and spirits, each chosen to ignite your palate and spark conversation. Inspired by the very essence of counter-culture, our space is designed for those who appreciate quality sips and good company, fostering an atmosphere where great drinks and even better ideas flow freely.”
What the Michelin Guide inspectors said about the place: “The spirit of San Sebastián is strong at this playfully named restaurant that fuses together a pinxtos bar and a simply styled restaurant. The non-bookable bar area is a brilliant spot if you want to drop in for a cocktail and some snacks, but the main restaurant offers a more extensive menu of the kitchen’s terrific Spain-meets-Cornwall cooking.
“The region’s produce is put to brilliant use in clean, flavoursome dishes like super-fresh mackerel with Aral Farm beetroot. To finish, the crema Catalana is a must. A well-compiled wine list and wide cocktail selection add to the joy.”
Fern – Pendewey Farm, Stony Lane, Nanstallon
Fern Cornwall at Nanstallon has earned a place in the prestigious Michelin Guide in December 2025(Image: Fern Cornwall )
Fern is a restaurant and bar in Nanstallon, outside Bodmin, led by chef Paul Welburn. Serving modern British dishes made with local Cornish produce, Fern offers relaxed dining, seasonal flavours, and a true taste of the South West.
The Michelin Guide inspectors who added the restaurant in December said: “This striking barn conversion is the kind of restaurant where you want to kick back and relax, soak in the calm atmosphere and enjoy the farm-fed dishes at a leisurely pace. In fact, this kind of unhurried, produce-led dining is exactly what their ‘Beyond the Roast’ Sunday menu endorses.
“Whenever you visit, you can expect a stylish dining room and equally good-looking dishes, such as their take on apple and pear crumble that’s as delicious as it is unconventional. The farm’s cottages are available if you’re looking to stay the night.”
Flora – Stableyard, Trelowarren Estate, Trelowarren
Flora in Trelowarren Estate, Lizard Peninsula has been added to the Michelin Guide in December 2025 (Image: Flora)
On its website Flora describes itself as a “family run cafe, bakery and restaurant on the historic and unspoilt Trelowarren Estate” on the Lizard Peninsula, serving “delicious, seasonal food grown by us or our network of small growers, farmers, fisherfolk and foragers”.
Here is what the Michelin Guide inspectors had to say about the place when they added it in December: “Arriving here feels like you’ve leapt into the pages of a fairy tale. Buried deep within the Trelowarren Estate, the period conversion draped in twinkling lights is overflowing with rustic charm.
“The roaring log fire welcomes you in and is matched by the warmth of the wonderful team. Produce from the Estate is at the heart of a menu that delivers a wonderful celebration of the seasons through dishes like roast lamb chop and slow-cooked shoulder. At lunchtimes, visit the simpler café and bakery across the courtyard.”
Narla – Fore Street, Fowey
Narla in Fowey has been added to the Michelin Guide in December 2025(Image: Narla )
On its website, Narla says the restaurant came about when 14-year-old Charlie Walters found himself “captivated by the adrenaline of the kitchen while washing pots in a local American diner”.
It was that moment which inspired Charlie to go into cooking as a career. He adds: “From the moment I stepped into the kitchen, I was hooked. The energy, the creativity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence sparked a lifelong passion that has shaped my journey.
“From those early days, I worked my way through some of Cornwall’s most respected kitchens, learning from the best and honing my craft. A career highlight came when I became a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals, a moment that gave me the confidence to chase my dream of opening a restaurant that truly reflected my vision.”
He added: “Narla is the culmination of that dream – a place where exceptional food, genuine hospitality, and a love for Cornwall come together.”
Here’s what the Michelin Guide inspectors had to say about Narla: “The picturesque harbour town of Fowey makes a great setting for this chic, clean-lined bistro enlivened by both the buzz of its happy diners and the energy emanating from the sleek open kitchen.
“Plenty of flavour is packed into each carefully presented dish, starting with snacks such as chicken wings and crispy cod bons bons, then continuing with the likes of roasted duck breast complemented by miso cauliflower and Cornish kea plum. The range of enticing menus includes vegan options, a good value lunch deal and even a Sunday roast.”
St. Eia -St Ives
Food at St. Eia in St Ives. The restaurant was added to the Michelin Guide in December 2025 (Image: St. Eia )
St. Eia describes itself as “an intimate restaurant, wine bar and shop tucked away in the back streets of St Ives” offering daily changing wines by the glass and an “ever expanding selection of super rare and exciting wines by the bottle at reasonable prices”.
The team added: “Our food is mostly European in influence, our suppliers rear animals with great care, grow vegetables organically and locally, age cheese just right, mill flour with more care than they need and we like them all very much.”
In November when the Michelin Guide added St. Eia, this is what it said: “Simply delightful and delightfully simple, this rustic wine bar does nothing complicated or showy to earn your affections, but will undoubtedly capture them anyway. Tucked away down the narrow cobbled streets, away from this seaside town’s summertime bustle, it’s a sweetly run and immediately likeable place.
“The sharing plates are bright, fresh and generous, keeping things simple but delivering on flavour with the likes of crab and dill crostini or steamed Dorset clams with chilli and bay. Unsurprisingly, the wine list is well worth poring over.”
Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling – Headland Hotel – Newquay
Ugly Butterfly 2.0 at The Headland Hotel in Newquay was added to the Michelin Guide in December 2025(Image: Justin De Souza )
Chef Adam Handling relocated his restaurant after being kicked out of the Carbis Bay Hotel earlier this year. Not long after he reopened the Ugly Butterfly 2.0 restaurant across the bay, this time within the Headland Hotel overlooking Fistral beach in Newquay.
On his website Adam says: “As one door closes, another one opens – and this Ugly Butterfly 2.0 is a more fitting home for our most sustainable brand.
“Visit us at Ugly Butterfly for a quintessentially British experience, whether it be in our restaurant, terrace or bar, exploring the best of South-West’s larder, with surreal coastal surroundings and panoramic sunsets.
“We are so lucky to have one of the most beautiful views of Fistral Beach, nestled inside the historic hotel, The Headland. You are overlooking the clifftops over the ocean, watching the world pass you by. It’s truly a place where all of your problems disappear.”
About the Ugly Butterfly, The Michelin Guide, which added the restaurant in October, said: “After the closure of Ugly Butterfly in Carbis Bay, Adam Handling didn’t let his followers mourn for long before opening up Ugly Butterfly 2.0 in the Headland Hotel.
“Come for the stunning views over Fistral Beach and stay for the top-drawer cooking that prioritises using the best local ingredients. Be it Cornish hen or ‘mids’ potatoes, all are treated with great skill and a welcome touch of restraint. Minimal waste is a key tenet here too, so look out for trimmings and offcuts used in drinks, snacks and even post-meal sweets.”
FOUR BOYS –
Four Boys in Rock has been added to the Michelin Guide in December 2025 (Image: Ed Schofield / FOUR BOYS )
Four Boys is a cafe and restaurant overlooking the estuary in Rock. On its website it says: “Our menu changes regularly, guided by what’s in season. Fresh handmade pasta and seafood take centre stage, served as plates to share.”
The inspectors at the Michelin Guide had this to say about the place which they added to the guide in September: “This is the kind of restaurant where you’re simply going to have a lovely time. Operated by its owner’s four sons, it’s a relaxed coastal café in vibe, with the efficient yet informal team running the show with ease.
“The menu is largely based around Cornish seafood and homemade pasta, and when they’re both as fresh and flavoursome as this, you can’t imagine wanting anything else.
“Farfalle with crab is a prime example, its perfectly judged hit of chilli skilfully enhancing the sweet meat. Try to grab a table on the terrace and order a glass of the fairly priced wine.”
Zacry’s – Sea Lane, Watergate Bay Hotel
Zacry’s restaurant at the Watergate Bay Hotel has been added to the Michelin Guide this year (Image: Lewis Harrison-Pinder)
Zacry’s at the Watergate Bay Hotel offers seasonally changing three-course menus showcasing the location, whilst bringing the best of Cornish seas, fields and market gardens to the table.
On its website it says: “Expect heritage tomato, basil, peach and aged Cornish gouda, local scallops with pork belly, brill with smoked trout roe, blonde chocolate delice with apricot and biscotti and a butcher’s block laden with the finest Cornish and European cheeses.”
The Michelin Guide reviewed the place and added it in April this year. It said: “Forming part of the Watergate Bay Hotel but occupying a separate building on the sea wall, this relaxed restaurant comes with one of the best views you’ll find in all of Cornwall.
“Ensure you ask for a window table, so you can sit back and enjoy the stunning vistas over Watergate Bay, while the chefs work calmly in their open kitchen on a concise, original menu that reflects its surroundings with plenty of seafood, such as Cornish turbot or BBQ monkfish tail. The service team run their restaurant with great care and pride in their work.”
We reviewed Zacrys’ two years ago and were equally enchanted by the quality of the food and service. And the view wasn’t too bad either!
Ardor – 45 Fore Street, St Ives
Ardor in St Ives was added to the Michelin Guide in March 2025 (Image: Meor Design / Ardor )
On its website it says: “In the heart of St Ives, Ardor is led by Chef Patron Dorian Janmaat and inspired by the vibrant flavours of the Mediterranean.
“Enjoy authentic pintxos and tapas, the freshest Cornish seafood, and dry-aged cuts, all simply grilled over charcoal, perfectly paired with vibrant cocktails and a curated wine list.”
Here’s what the Michelin Guide had to say about Ardor when it included the restaurant in the 2024-25 edition in February this year: “Named after a Latin word meaning ‘fire’ or ‘passion’, Ardor is a smart modern brasserie in the heart of St Ives. Chef-Owner Dorian spent a lot of his childhood in Spain and it shows on the menu from beginning to end, from chorizo pillow bread to crèma catalana.
“Cornish seafood plays a key role, given a vibrant Mediterranean touch by the chefs, while some produce is cooked over the charcoal grill. Get a table on the lower floor to watch the kitchen in action and begin with a sherry tasting to enhance your Spanish experience.”
The Tartan Fox – Summercourt
The Tartan Fox in Summercourt (Image: John Hersey / The Tartan Fox )
The Tartan Fox at Summercourt, just off the A30 is Adam Hanling’s second eatery in Cornwall.
On its website the gastro pub says: “Welcome to our British restaurant and pub, with gardens, in the picturesque countryside of Cornwall, between Truro and Newquay. We offer sustainable British pub food, with a luxury approach.
“It’s a simple offering but really showcases the best of produce from in and around Cornwall. Our Sunday lunch is perfect to come and enjoy with your friends and family (and your dogs are more than welcome too.”
The Michelin Guide, which added the Tartan Fox in its 2024-25 edition in February this year, had this to say about it: “The location in the middle of Cornwall may be a long way from Scotland but, as the name suggests, Adam Handling finds a way to incorporate his Celtic heritage into this stone-built country pub.
“Another venture in his ever-expanding empire, it’s a sympathetically refitted 17th-century inn located on a popular holiday caravan park. You can expect to find the likes of a haggis Scotch egg and even a deep-fried Mars bar among the extensive menu of generous pubby favourites filled with bold, well-balanced flavours.”
Yamas -Looe
Yamas Greek restaurant in Looe was added to the 2024-25 edition of the Michelin Guide in February 2025(Image: Yamas )
The Michelin Guide which added Yamas to its 2024-25 edition in February this year had this to say: “Yamas is a Greek toast to the health and wellbeing of friends and family, and it’s the authentic flavours of Greece that power this sister restaurant to the Sardine Factory on the other side of the East Looe River.
“Grab a seat on the terrace to make the most of the quayside location or have a drink in the first-floor bar, before delighting in classic dishes from stifado to souvlaki. The interesting all-Greek wine list offers a good selection by the glass and all at a fair price. Yamas!”
CornwallLive’s reviewer couldn’t agree more – see what she had to say here.
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