Banjara Hills Cafes Introduce Filipino Purple Yam Ube to Menus

Specialty coffee houses and cafes across Hyderabad have recently begun incorporating ube, a purple yam native to the Philippines, into their beverage and dessert menus. In Banjara Hills, AltrEgo Speciality Coffee has emerged as one of the first establishments in the city to experiment with the ingredient, introducing unique offerings such as the ube sticky rice softie, ube matcha latte, and ube coconut cloud.

The trend is heavily rivaling matcha, which dominated local cafe menus and social media feeds just a few months ago. Known for its striking violet color and distinct flavor profile, ube is attracting significant attention from local cafe-goers and food influencers.

Ube is a root vegetable with a rough grey-brown skin and a deep purple interior. While it has long been a staple in Filipino cuisine—often boiled and mashed with condensed milk for traditional holiday desserts—its application has expanded into modern cafe culture.

"Ube is a purple yam from the Philippines, delicately sweet, subtly nutty, with notes of vanilla and coconut. It is a flavour that feels familiar and distinct at the same time," said Rounak, a local barista. He added that while there are still many loyal matcha drinkers in the city, the excitement surrounding ube feels highly similar to the initial matcha wave.

Apart from its aesthetic appeal on social media, ube is also rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, which has increased its popularity among health-conscious consumers looking for novel flavors.

The trend has spread to other parts of the city as well. In the Financial District, Caphe Bistro is offering options like the ube cloud and ube strawberry matcha, while 9Bar Coffee has introduced six distinct drinks, including an ube honeycomb latte and ube coconut latte. The Big Star Cafe has also expanded the trend into bakery items, serving ube tiramisu and ube doughnuts.

Local food vlogger Rakwar Rahul noted the ingredient's visual appeal, stating that it reminds him of vanilla and coconut and "looks great in photos." However, opinions remain mixed. Instagram content creator Mansi, who tried the flavor at Caphe Bistro, expressed a preference for matcha, suggesting that ube may primarily attract temporary food explorers rather than establishing a permanent foothold.