7 Ube-Flavored Treats In Metro Manila For Your Not-So-Sweet Tooth

Ube (or oob—IYKYK) is having its moment right now on the global stage, with some even predicting that it could be the next matcha. Honestly, our ube-loving hearts are here for it, especially if it means more ube-flavored treats from our favorite restaurants and cafes.

If you're like us and just can't get enough of this Pinoy flavor, we've rounded up some ube desserts and drinks we're oob-sessed with. *wink wink*

Locations: See a list of H Proper Coffee Roasters branches

Nutty, earthy ube and sweet-milky yema is a pair that just makes sense—so it's no wonder that it works in the U-Best Kept, with layers of ube and vanilla chiffon, rich ube halaya, yema cream, and a bruleed yema top.

Bonus for Carats (a.k.a. K-Pop group Seventeen's fans): This is the cake Seventeen's Seungkwan posted on his Instagram! Get his exact order by pairing your cake with an Iced Americano—a refreshing partner to this sweet treat.

Location: See a list of Poppy's Halo Halo branches

If the heat's got you craving halo halo, Poppy's Halo Halo and their many versions of the Filipino treat has your back. For ube-cheese lovers, the Ube-Keso is your best bet with its layers of milky ice and the usual halo halo ingredients of leche flan, beans, sweet banana, and more, plus banana chips, ube-cheese puto (!), and crispy banana chips. It's creamy, crunchy, chewy, and full of ube goodness in every bite. P.S. They deliver, too, if you can't be bothered to move in this heat.

Location: Cityland III, VA Rufino Street corner Ormaza Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City

Both ube and matcha are having their moment right now, so why not combine them in one drink? And you can try the unique combo than at quirky neighborhood cafe Oolah, which has become popular for their wide line-up of espresso- and matcha-based drinks including their signature Banana Pudding Matcha. Their Ube Halaya Matcha has chunks of ube jam with a coconut-milk-based matcha latte for a drink that’s all kinds of nutty and refreshing.

Locations: 26A Sct. Torillo corner Sct. Fuentabella Street, Diliman, Quezon City, and 5/F Podium, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City

We're all familiar with the classic, chocolate champorado but this sweet rice porridge becomes extra cozy when flavored with ube. Try it out for yourself at Caerus: their Ube Champorado has the sweet-nutty taste of ube perfectly complemented by the salty crispy daing and creamy condensed milk on top. Pro tip: You can easily have a working brunch, thanks to Caerus' generous sockets and Wi-Fi access at their branches.

Locations: See a list of Cooper's Coffee Haus branches

You shouldn't skip the non-coffee options at your favorite coffee shop, like the Ube Latte from Cooper's Coffee Haus. With a thick ube sauce made using real ube jam poured on milk and a topping of pinipig for added crunch, this latte is a decadent dessert in drink form. If you can't live without your caffeine, though, you can get the same flavors with the added kick of coffee in the Dirty Ube Latte.

Location: Tytana Plaza Building, Plaza Lorenzo, Binondo, Manila

If there's one flavor that can elevate the cozy flavor of hojicha, it's ube—as proven by Beanstro Coffee's best-selling Purple Hoji. The deep, roasted flavor of their hojicha, hand-whisked upon order, is poured on top of an iced glass of ube milk for a drink that’s nutty, toasty, and extra comforting. Pair your drink with their signature Mango Sticky Rice or Cacao Sticky Rice, or go salty with classic Fries.

Location: 42 Katipunan Avenue Extension, White Plains West, Quezon City

We're always on the lookout for a cozy neighborhood spot especially for brunch with the girls, so we're glad that we now have Tara Filipino Diner on our roster. The reigning crowd-favorite from their menu is their Purple Pancakes: giant ube flapjacks that are large enough to split between two (or just enough for a hungry one), slathered with an ube maple syrup and served with maple butter and dulce de leche on the side to take it to the next indulgent level.

Extra ravenous? Get the Fried Chicken and Purple Pancakes or the ube pancakes with a giant fried-chicken fillet and gravy. And btw, furmoms: Tara Filipino Diner is pet-friendly, too!