Ube Ice Cream in SF
Ube ice cream is a Filipino purple-yam dessert — subtly sweet, nutty, and naturally vibrant. Here's what it tastes like, why it's purple, and where to find the best ube ice cream shops in San Francisco.
What Is Ube Ice Cream?
Ube ice cream is a frozen dessert made with ube (pronounced "OO-beh"), a purple yam native to the Philippines. The yam gives the ice cream its naturally vibrant purple color and a subtly sweet, nutty flavor with hints of vanilla and coconut — softer and earthier than most American ice cream flavors.
In the Philippines, ube has been a dessert staple for generations — halo-halo, ube halaya, ube cake. In San Francisco, ube ice cream caught on first in Filipino communities and has since spread across the city. Traditional Filipino bakeries and modern artisanal creameries both make their own takes, from authentic preparations to fusion sundaes.
San Francisco's Best Ube Ice Cream Shops
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Mitchell's Ice Cream
Noe ValleyA San Francisco institution since 1953, famous for unique flavors like ube, buko, and Mexican chocolate.
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Garden Creamery
MissionHawaii-inspired flavors with both dairy and vegan options made with coconut base.
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Uji Time Dessert
JapantownFish-shaped taiyaki cones filled with soft serve in Asian flavors.
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Milkbomb Ice Cream
Potrero HillCreative ice cream shop known for sandwiching unique flavors like Fruity Pebbles, White Rabbit, and mangonada inside doughnuts. Offers inventive combinations of ice cream with fun toppings and vessels.
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Polly Ann Ice Cream
Outer SunsetA beloved neighborhood ice cream shop open since the 1950s, famous for its spin-the-wheel tradition that lets fate decide your flavor. Offers more than 500 rotating flavors including Asian-inspired options like durian, lychee, and jasmine alongside classics like Rocky Road and mint chocolate chip.
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Koolfi Creamery
Financial DistrictSouth Asian-inspired ice cream from Priti Narayanan and Madhuri Anji, the San Francisco outpost of the Oakland-born business. Try the banana ice cream paired with gulab jamun bites, or the cake batter-infused Fairy Glitter for a unique treat.
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Spotlight: Garden Creamery
Asian-Inspired Artisan Excellence
Garden Creamery has become synonymous with innovative Asian-inspired ice cream flavors in San Francisco. Their ube ice cream is crafted using traditional techniques combined with modern artisanal methods, resulting in a rich, creamy texture that perfectly captures the purple yam's unique flavor profile.
What Makes It Special:
- • Hand-crafted in small batches
- • Uses Straus organic dairy
- • Farm-to-table approach
- • Both dairy and vegan options
- • Authentic purple yam sourcing
Pro Tips:
- • Follow their Instagram for weekly flavor rotations
- • Try the ube semifreddo for a different texture
- • Pairs beautifully with coconut or vanilla
- • Best enjoyed in their bright corner shop
Ube Ice Cream FAQ
What does ube ice cream taste like?
Ube ice cream tastes mildly sweet and nutty, with notes that have been compared to pistachio, white chocolate, vanilla, and coconut. It's less sweet than most American ice creams and has a soft, earthy flavor — not artificial-tasting despite the bright purple color.
Why is ube ice cream purple?
The purple color is natural. Ube (Dioscorea alata) is a purple-fleshed yam. Good ube ice cream is colored entirely from the yam itself, often with no added dye. Some commercial versions use ube extract or food coloring to enhance the hue — if the purple looks unnaturally electric, that's usually why.
Is ube the same as taro?
No. Ube is a yam (a tuber in the Dioscoreaceae family) with bright purple flesh and a soft, sweet flavor. Taro is a corm in the Araceae family that's typically white or light lavender and has a starchier, more savory profile. They're often confused but are botanically and culinarily distinct.
Where can I find ube ice cream near me in San Francisco?
Garden Creamery in the Mission is the most consistent year-round spot for ube ice cream in SF. Other reliable options include Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous in Dogpatch and seasonal pop-ups from Filipino-American creameries. Browse the full SF ice cream directory to filter by neighborhood.
Can I buy ube ice cream at the grocery store?
Yes. Trader Joe's, Magnolia, and several Filipino-American brands sell pints of ube ice cream at grocery stores. Asian markets in the Bay Area (99 Ranch, Seafood City, H Mart) also carry imported and locally made ube ice cream. For freshly churned ube ice cream, though, you'll want to visit a creamery.
How is ube ice cream made?
Most ube ice cream starts with ube halaya (a Filipino jam made by boiling and mashing the yam with sugar, milk, and butter), which is then folded into a custard base before churning. Higher-end shops in SF use fresh ube or imported ube halaya rather than ube extract — the difference shows up in both flavor depth and color.
The Ube Ice Cream Phenomenon in SF
Instagram Impact
The vibrant purple color of ube ice cream has made it a social media darling. San Francisco shops report that ube flavors are among their most photographed and shared items, driving both local and tourist traffic.
The hashtag #UbeSF has thousands of posts, making it one of the city's most recognizable dessert trends.
Cultural Bridge
Ube ice cream represents more than just a flavor trend — it's a cultural bridge between traditional Filipino cuisine and mainstream American dessert culture, particularly strong in San Francisco's diverse food scene.
Many shops now offer ube alongside traditional American flavors, introducing new audiences to Filipino ingredients and flavors.