"Ube is the next Matcha" — A Comprehensive Guide to Ube Desserts that Dyed Seoul Purple in 2026

The protagonist color of the 2026 cafe trend has shifted from green (matcha) to purple (ube). Starting from spring, SNS feeds were filled with vivid purple lattes and cheesecakes, and in April, major franchises like Twosome Place, Starbucks, and Dessert39 collectively launched ube menus, bringing the trend into the mainstream. The Korea Herald stated, "Purple replaces green — Ube is the next generation matcha," and the Korea Times reported, "Move aside, matcha, ube has captured Korea's palate." As of June, the excitement remains. This article summarizes what ube is, where to eat it (from franchises to unique cafes), and what to order all at once.

What is Ube?

Ube is a purple yam from the Philippines. Its exterior resembles that of yam or sweet potato, but when cut, its flesh is a vivid purple. This color comes from anthocyanin, an antioxidant pigment in the same family as blueberries. It is a distinct crop, different from purple sweet potato or taro.

Surprisingly, its taste is not overly sweet, but rather savory and subtly sweet — it's like vanilla with a hint of coconut. It pairs particularly well with milk, cream, and cheese, transforming into lattes, Basque cheesecakes, ice creams, and even donuts. Above all, its purple color photographs strikingly, leading to its explosive spread on Instagram and TikTok. It hit the market perfectly, which was looking for a new color after "matcha fatigue."

Starting Easy — Franchise Ube (Nationwide, Prices Disclosed)

If you're trying it for the first time, start with easily accessible franchises. Below are menus whose prices have been confirmed through official sources or reports.

Twosome Place

Ube lineup launched in April 2026. From lattes to spoonable desserts.

• Twosome Ube Latte — 5,700 won
• Ube Cafe Latte — 6,500 won
• Ube Shake — 6,800 won
• Spoonable Ube A.B.C. — 7,200 won

Starbucks

• Ube Basque Cheesecake — Slice 7,500 won. Piloted in select stores in April → Expanded nationwide.

Dessert39

• 6 types of Ube beverages (Ube Latte / My Real Ube Latte / Ube Bubble Frappe / Ube Strawberry Latte / Ube Matcha Latte / Ube Coconut Caffe Latte) + Bakery (Ube Croquant Choux, Ube Butter Tteok). (Individual prices to be confirmed at the store)

💜 First-timer recommendation: If you're curious about the taste of ube, the Twosome Ube Latte or the Starbucks Ube Basque Cheesecake are safe bets. You can most easily experience the aroma with the latte and the ube+cream combination with the cheesecake.

For the Full Experience — Seoul's Unique Ube Cafes (By Neighborhood)

The real fun of a trend lies in individual cafes. The menus and prices below are based on reports from April-June 2026, and may be seasonal or subject to change, so checking before visiting is recommended (individual prices are not disclosed).

• Name Is Marvin (Mangwon) — Ube Latte, Ube Banana Cake, Ube Ice Cream topped with seasonal fruits. This is the most solidly verified place, directly introduced by Korea Times and Korea Herald.
• Hats Coffee (Seongsu) — Ube Latte with ube cream on top of a milk latte. (Reported as a seasonal menu)
• Cremont — Ube Basque Cheesecake. For when you want to truly enjoy the ube+cheese combination. (Check the exact store location before visiting)
• The Giwa (Hapjeong) — A unique take, Ube Makgeolli. Enjoy purple not as a dessert, but as a traditional alcoholic beverage. (May be a seasonal limited menu)
• In addition, Knotted (Ube Donut·Latte), Roselatto (Jongno, Ube Gelato), Leaf Coffee Bar (Songnidan-gil, Ube Ice Cream), Cafe Yabet (Seongbuk) also introduced ube menus.

How to Best Enjoy Ube

• Start with a great photo: The purple color is key, so use natural light. For lattes, the gradient between the ube cream and milk layer is the point; for cheesecakes, it's the cross-section.
• Less sweet burden: Ube itself isn't excessively sweet, making it milder than matcha. Even if you don't like overly sweet things, it's surprisingly palatable.
• Combination recommendation: An Ube Latte (beverage) + Ube Basque Cheesecake (dessert) set will show you both sides of ube.
• Trendy eateries have high turnover: Many seasonal/limited menus exist, so checking their availability via SNS or in-store announcements beforehand can save you a wasted trip.

Summary

Ube, succeeding the era of matcha, has dyed the Seoul cafe scene purple in 2026. Start lightly with franchises (Twosome Place, Starbucks, Dessert39), then enjoy a new dessert journey of both color and taste at unique cafes in Mangwon, Seongsu, and Hapjeong, with Ube Lattes, Basque Cheesecakes, and even Ube Makgeolli. However, since seasonal/limited menus and prices change frequently, just make sure to double-check before visiting.

Recommended Search Keywords: ube dessert, ube latte, Seoul ube cafe, Twosome ube, Starbucks ube basque cheesecake, ube dessert Seoul, what is ube