![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/comp-1781881601.png\")
\n\t\tSweet, purple and all over your feed (Picture: Patrycja Zaras)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tSweet, purple and all over your feed (Picture: Patrycja Zaras)<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that at Metro HQ, we\u2019re suckers for a sweet treat.<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s the new white chocolate Hobnobs<\/a> from McVitie\u2019s, the\u00a0Magnolia Bakery banana pudding pop-up<\/a>, or the Roll Boys cinnamon rolls<\/a>, we\u2019re always happy to taste-test the latest sweet sensation.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s one foodie trend which has been the headline flavour of 2026, and it\u2019s ube.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re still not clear on exactly what ube<\/a> is, it\u2019s a bright purple yam native to the Philippines<\/a>, which has long been a signature ingredient in Filipino\u00a0cooking<\/a>, used in everything from jam to cakes.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been taking the foodie world by storm over the past few months though, first going mainstream in coffee chains in 2025 when Starbucks put the flavour profile on its menu and Pret\u00a0<\/a>added a limited-edition Ube Br\u00fbl\u00e9e Latte to its menu.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s pleasantly sweet without ever being cloying, boasting nutty notes and a subtle earthiness. If matcha drinks are a little too bitter for your taste, ube could be the perfect alternative.<\/p>\n And much like matcha before it, people are loving it so much that demand has reportedly contributed to shortages in the Philippines. It\u2019s hardly surprising, given that in 2025, the Asian country shipped out about \u00a32.41 million worth of ube \u2014 nearly 1.7 million kilograms \u2014 a close to 20% increase from the previous year.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018When I opened Mamasons nearly a decade ago, ube was virtually unknown in the UK. We spent most of our time explaining what it was rather than selling it,\u2019 restaurateur Omar Shah, who owns several Filipino spots in London, tells Metro.<\/p>\n Now, you can find it everywhere from Costa to independent market stalls across the capital. Starbucks even dubbed it \u2018this year\u2019s taste (and colour) of spring\u2019.<\/p>\n \u2018Nine years ago people would often walk out when we told them we didn\u2019t have vanilla, chocolate or strawberry. Today, people walk in specifically asking for ube,\u2019 he adds.<\/p>\n But Omar hopes its popularity will spark curiosity about its roots.<\/p>\n \u2018Ube isn\u2019t just a colour or a trend; it\u2019s an ingredient with deep cultural roots in the Philippines. As its popularity grows, it\u2019s important that people also learn about the history, traditions and communities behind it,\u2019 he adds.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019re yet to try it, now might be the perfect opportunity.<\/p>\n Visiting London\u2019s ube trail<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tHey, foodies! Add us as a Preferred Source\t\t\t<\/p>\n At Metro Food, we’re here to bring you all the latest foodie news, delicious recipes, restaurant reviews, and cooking tips. As a loyal reader and a part of our vibrant community, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories<\/p>\n Click the button below and tick\u00a0Metro.co.uk\u00a0to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n \nAdd us as a Preferred Source<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \t\t London is getting its first-ever ube trail, with a collection of Filipino-inspired restaurants offering 10% off selected ube products until the end of the month.<\/p>\n All the venues are located along Kentish Town Road, making the trail easy to follow and entirely doable in the space of an afternoon.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tParticipating sites:\t\t\t<\/p>\n Caf\u00e9 Mama & Sons \u2013 83 Kentish Town Road But we won\u2019t send you in blind. We visited three of the stops \u2013 bakery Cafe Mama & Sons, ice cream parlour Mamasons, and viral restaurant Belly, to bring you our honest recommendations.<\/p>\n \t\t Must-try: Ube mochi bow, ube latte and ube matcha.<\/p>\n Start the trail with an ube mochi croissant and an iced ube matcha.<\/p>\n The bakery\u2019s signature pastry features chewy ube mochi tucked inside a flaky, house-laminated croissant bow, finished with a light sugar glaze and toasted coconut flakes. Paired with the refreshing ube matcha, it makes for a fun (and delicious) alternative to your standard brunch order.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll admit I\u2019m biased here, as mochi is my all-time favourite sweet treat, but the contrast between the chewy filling and flaky croissant is so satisfying that I can\u2019t think of a reason not to give it a go.<\/p>\n \t\t Must-try: Bilog and ube ice cream tubs.<\/p>\n The main attraction here is the parlour\u2019s signature ube ice cream, available on its own or as a bilog \u2013 an indulgent ice cream sandwich nestled in soft pandesal bread that could prove particularly popular during the upcoming heatwaves.<\/p>\n \t\t I enjoyed it, although I\u2019d recommend sharing one between two people, as the portion is pretty substantial for one person alone.<\/p>\n The ice cream itself ended up being my favourite thing I sampled all day. It\u2019s gently sweet, refreshing and lightly earthy. If you live nearby, I\u2019d strongly recommend stocking up on a whole tub.<\/p>\n Belly<\/p>\n Must-try: Ube tiramisu.<\/p>\n One of my favourite food discoveries of last year and recently added to the Michelin Guide, Belly has gone viral for its excellent ube tiramisu. The dessert may be what gets people through the door, but it\u2019s worth staying for the whole dinner.<\/p>\n The tiramisu is hands down my favourite twist on the classic dessert. (Although I\u2019m yet to try another internet sensation, Mitsu\u2019s matcha tiramisu \u2013 I\u2019ll report back in The Slice<\/a>.) It combines delicate layers of ube sponge and cream with a subtle rhubarb tang, all topped with a luscious purple ube cream.<\/p>\n With mains ranging from \u00a318 to \u00a333, each a standout in its own way with no weak links among them, (the Woodland mushroom arroz caldo completely won me over), it\u2019s a no-brainer for date night.<\/p>\n And then there\u2019s the staff. Some of the loveliest you\u2019ll find anywhere in London \u2013 I still think very fondly of this place because of them.<\/p>\n \t\t Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_0542-c9cb.jpg\")
\n\t\tMaginhawa Group is the collection of Filipino-inspired restaurants and concepts founded by restaurateur\u00a0Omar Shah (Picture: Patrycja Zaras)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI280789670-f364.png\")
\n\t\tFrom the latest Walkers flavours to the secret McDonald’s menu, Metro Food has it all<\/p>\n
\nMamasons \u2013 91 Kentish Town Road
\nBintang \u2013 93 Kentish Town Road
\nBelly \u2013157 Kentish Town Road<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_0546-9187.jpg\")
\n\t\tCafe Mama & Sons is helping bring Filipino flavour to a new generation of foodies (Picture: Patrycja Zaras)
\nCafe Mama & Sons<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_0586-edc5.jpg\")
\n\t\tUbe-filled bilog buns (Picture: Patrycja Zaras)
\nMamasons<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_0590-b38f.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe vibrant purple colour has helped make ube a social media sensation (Picture: Patrycja Zaras)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_2085-ec42.jpg\")
\n\t\tBelly\u2019s viral ube tiramisu (Picture: Patrycja Zaras)<\/p>\n
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