Ube often gets mixed up with taro, but this purple yam originates from the Philippines. Ube is often used in halo halo, among many other Filipino desserts, but its reach has expanded to cookies, pancakes and more. Check out these purple-hued delights.

Yogurstory

YogurStory is known for its brunch fare like prime rib loco moco, red velvet waffles with taro cream, and Piggy fried rice with your choice of meat and eggs, any style. However, its ube dishes are customer favorites.

Ube pancakes ($14.95) comprise an Okinawan sweet potato pancake with ube coconut sauce. Also popular are the ube mochi waffles.

Yogurstory
745 Keeaumoku St. Ste. 100, Honolulu
808-942-0505
yogur808.com
Instagram: @yogurstory

UBAE

This dessert shop — which stands for “ube before anything else” — takes this Filipino staple to the next level through its various desserts.

Customer favorites at UBAE include the signature ube cheesecake — creamy, rich ube cheesecake sold by the slice or as a whole cheesecake — ube tarts (ube cheesecake in a shortbread tart), Flanbae (layers of leche flan atop ube chiffon cake), ube rolls (ube chiffon cake rolled and filled with coconut cream and topped with toasted coconut), ube crinkle cookies (price varies) and ube soft serve. The latter is a plant-based, dairy-free treat that’s especially delicious on a hot day. It’s often featured as a ube and buko pandan swirl ($6.60).

UBAE
City Square Shopping Center
1284 Kalani St. Ste. D-107, Honolulu
808-439-3224
ubaehawaii.com

Beyond Boba Tea

You’ll find numerous boba creations at this Wahiawa shop, but Beyond Boba Tea’s ube desserts are among the most popular treats.

Ube Flurple Dream milk tea ($6.75/$8.75) features a creamy ube milk tea blend handcrafted with milk, brown sugar wall and brown sugar boba and is topped with a fluffy housemade ube foam. Meanwhile, ube heart bubble waffles ($8.95) comprise housemade ube waffle batter cooked to a perfect crisp and topped with ube foam, chocolate drizzle and sprinkles.

Beyond Boba Tea
64 Kukui St., Wahiawa
808-888-2196
gobeyondbobatea.com

Minasa Hawaii

You can find Minasa Hawaii at various pop-up events across Oahu, like Ono Grindz & Makeke market at Kapolei Commons.

Minasa, which means “to mash,” strives to feature classic Filipino flavors and food with seasonal ingredients and island flair. Some of its popular dishes include lechon fries, breakfast bowls (tocino, over-easy egg and garlic rice), Papa’s lumpia and more.

Ube churros (three for $12) are a customer favorite. They’re always made to order and drizzled with housemade ube sauce, delivering a subtle ube flavor and satisfying crunch with every bite.

Minasa Hawaii
minasahawaii.com
Instagram: @Minasahawaii