Ube is catching the eyes and palates of foodies; here are 7 places to try it around Denver

Ube, a purple yam native to the Philippines, is popping up left and right at local bakeries, cafes and ice cream shops.

The Southeast Asian veggie (pronounced ooh-bay) has grown popular in the last year among foodies, thanks to its eye-catching hue, velvety texture and subtly sweet vanilla flavor.

Thoa Nguyen has been serving ube products at her bakery, Bánh & Butter in Aurora, since she opened in April last year. For those who have never tried it, she likens the flavor to “a sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows,” like the one your mom might make for Thanksgiving.

“I love the idea of utilizing other cultures in my baked goods,” Nguyen said. “My background is Vietnamese, but I try to incorporate other Asian flavors as much as I can. Ube is such a trendy flavor, and it’s really created this recognition for the Filipino community, so I wanted it to be a part of my Asian fusi...