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Photo of JP Makes & Bakes courtesy of Gerard + Belevender
Ube, the bright purple yam beloved in Filipino cuisine, has steadily made its way onto menus across Metro Detroit in creative, crave-worthy forms. Known for its subtly sweet, nutty, vanilla-like flavor and striking color, ube shines in everything from sweet desserts to savory appetizers. Whether you’re already a fan or just discovering it for the first time, these local spots are serving standout options alongside menus that offer plenty more to explore.
Isla
2496 Metropolitan Parkway, Sterling Heights
At Isla, ube takes center stage in many of the thoughtfully crafted desserts. The Tropical Ube Cake layers almond cake with mango and coconut, while the Ube Cheesecake pairs a brown butter crust with white chocolate chantilly cream for a rich, balanced bite. For special occasions, the Ube Creme Cake, available by order with advance notice, features purple chiffon layered with silky creme frosting and real ube halaya (jam). Beyond sweets, Isla’s menu leans into comforting Filipino staples, from Chicken and Pork Adobo rice bowls to Pancit noodles, Batchoy, and brunch favorites like Longsilog and Arroz Caldo.
Cold Truth
4240 Cass Avenue, Suite 100, Detroit
Cold Truth brings ube into the frozen dessert world with non-dairy ice cream options that highlight both flavor and color. Owner Tim Mahoney shares, “We create two kinds of non-dairy ube ice cream, one is a hard scoop Ube Cookies and Cream (very much a crowd pleaser). The other is a soft serve, which twists perfectly with the Coconut soft serve, and we recommend it topped with caramel and toasted coconut for the most Filipino experience.” Cold Truth’s soft serve all happens to be vegan and often plant-based, but you’ll have to stick to hard scoops until winter’s over.
Zuzu
511 Woodward Avenue, Suite 100, Detroit
Zuzu offers perhaps one of the more unexpected ube appearances in the area, using purple ube taco shells as the base for its Crab and Lobster Tacos. The vibrant purple shells hold a mix of crab, crab and lobster salad, yuzu kewpie, avocado, and red tobiko, creating a dish that’s as visually striking as it is indulgent. The rest of the menu leans boldly into global flavors, with Japanese A5 Wagyu Skewers, Wagyu Beef Gyoza (dumplings), Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna rice cakes, Shrimp Tempura rolls, Miso Sea Bass Wraps, and an elaborate Omakase Sushi Tower designed for sharing.
JP Makes and Bakes
6529 Woodward Avenue, Suite B, Detroit
Located in Detroit’s New Center neighborhood, JP Makes and Bakes approaches ube with deep cultural care and creativity, weaving it throughout both baked goods and beverages. It shows up regularly in cookies, brownies, cheesecake, and soft serve, and during the holidays, as a chocolate bonbon filled with ube ganache. Drinks are just as popular, especially the iced UbeCocoMa made with ube syrup, coconut milk, and matcha. As owner Jonathan Peregrino explains, “Ube Halaya is how I grew up eating ube. Cooked down with sugar and dairy until it is thick. When set, it eats almost like a fudge.” He also notes that the shop works with ube in several forms to ensure consistency and quality. Alongside these offerings, “We focus on a variety of treats, bread rolls, cookies, and treats with a Filipino twist,” and offer a full coffee and espresso menu.
Julie Ryan Philippine Cuisine
34707 Dequindre Road, Troy
Ube plays a comforting, traditional role at Julie Ryan Philippine Cuisine, appearing in desserts that reflect the breadth of Filipino sweets. Options include Ube Biko (sticky rice cake), Halo-Halo (shaved ice, sweet beans, fruits, and ice cream), and Turon with Langka and Ice Cream, drizzled in the delightful purple syrup. As co-owner Ryan Rosario shares, “Julie Ryan Philippine Cuisine is proudly recognized as #2 Filipino Restaurant in the United States and #1 in the Midwest by BusinessRate.com, a distinction we are honored to carry while continuing to serve authentic Filipino cuisine made fresh to order. Beyond the kitchen, our restaurant is deeply rooted in community involvement—supporting local nonprofits, cultural organizations, youth programs, and fundraising initiatives throughout Southeast Michigan.” The broader menu includes Lumpia Shanghai, Pork Empanadas, Beef Sinigang, Mechado, and Hot-Silogs.
Cheat Treats Cafe
5838 Shaefer Road, Dearborn
At Cheat Treats Cafe, ube shows up in playful forms that lean into dessert-lover territory. The ube milkshake is a popular pick, while ube cookies combine purple yam flavor with white chocolate chips and chunks of Oreo cookies for a rich mix of textures. Beyond these, the menu stretches wide, offering hot chicken, pizza, smoothies, creative lattes, cheesecakes, and more treats. While it all feels indulgent, Cheat Treats Cafe is built on the notion of offering items that cater to varying diets, including keto, gluten-free, and vegan options.
Across Metro Detroit, ube has found a home in bakeries, restaurants, and dessert shops that approach it with both creativity and respect for its roots. Whether baked into layered cakes, blended into drinks, or churned into ice cream, these dishes showcase how versatile ube can be. For anyone looking to brighten up their plate with something a little unexpected, this is one ingredient that continues to deliver color and flavor in every bite.
