I wanted to try this a few months ago but they had closed already so I'm glad I was able to try it this time. Being married to a Filipino, you gotta try Ube! Pretty homey feel when you walk into the store. There was a cute selfie wall when you walk to the register. The menu is pretty extensive. I debated getting a drink but was so full from lunch that I got a box of the ube crinkle instead. My husband did order an ube shake for him and my son, so the three of us shared. First I noticed that people don't come here for one drink- people leave with 4-5! Everything looked so good coming out that I couldn't wait to try my husband's shake. Staff was friendly and place was clean! They did have those floor fans going on which I assume was to try the wet footprints from the melting snow outside, so I think that made the restaurant louder the it is. The ube shake was delicious! It was a little hard to drink at first because it was made pretty icy. I'd prefer mine to be a little smoother, but not a huge thing since it'll just melt. My 5 year old LOVED the "ice cream". He drank a good amount which was shocking. I had the ube crinkle when I got home and it was SO good. It was the perfect softness and it wasn't overly powered on top. I ended up eating a second one, which I normally would never do but I couldn't help myself! It wasn't overly sweet or coated with powder and the softness just made it that much better. Would I come back? I would if I happen to be in the area, I will definitely stop by to try the rest of their cakes/drinks! read more

Kafé de Manila - Assortment of cakes - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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Pssst... want to taste real ube instead of the artificial flavoring? Then look no further than Kafé de Manila. Everything here is lovingly crafted by Kathy, the owner, who makes items from scratch, including their ice cream. You can truly taste the difference: fresh ube, no artificial flavors. Just pure goodness. Kathy and her husband take great pride in their Filipino menu, offering a variety of delightful treats centered around the beloved purple yam. Now, you might be wondering, what exactly is ube, and why is it so popular? Contrary to popular belief, ube isn't a fruit. It's actually a purple sweet potato that's highly sought after in the Philippines. If you love taro, you'll love ube even more. It's a staple in many Filipino desserts and dishes, known for its rich flavor and vibrant color. If you're in search of delectable drinks and cookies, this is your spot. Their signature ube drinks range from floats and lattes to coffees, milk teas, and even ice cream. All with delicious bits of real ube in every sip. Not in the mood for ube? No problem. They offer a wide variety of options, including their Pinoy series, pandan drinks, Milo drinks, matcha, cold brews, and more. And I have to mention, they now serve Vietnamese coffee, Filipino-style. It's pure heaven in a 16 oz cup. The shop itself has great lighting, perfect for IG, Yelp photos, or even vlogging. Just note that seating is very limited. read more

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Kafe de Manila's tagline is "the real ube experience"--and that is 100% the truth. They offer an extensive menu of both coffee (or "koffee," as it's spelled the Filipino way on the menu) and non-coffee drinks, with ube as the clear star. I love the variety! I can try something new each time or return to a favorite. The menu includes lattes, cappuccinos, Vietnamese coffee, cold brew, milk tea, boba, and more, available hot or iced. There are also non-ube options, like pandan. The cold foam (available in both ube and pandan) is a must for any iced drink. My personal favorite (and the one I come back to most often) is the ube cold brew with ube cold foam. A close second is the pandan version of the same drink. Beyond the drinks, Kafe de Manila has a large selection of baked goods. The ube tres leches comes in a huge square and is incredibly rich without being overly sweet--the savoriness of the ube really shines through. If you're looking for something sweeter, the crinkle cookies (both ube and pandan) are a great choice. And the croissants are another favorite of mine. I never would have thought ube or pandan would work so perfectly in a croissant, but they absolutely do. Kafe de Manila is truly a standout business in Somerville. I come all the way from Queens just to visit! read more

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Really cute little cafe, I'm so glad I had finally tried it! It's on the strip, you cannot miss it! I had tried the Ube matcha - super delicious. It tasted like an Ube cheesecake in your matcha. I had also purchased the Ube crinkle cookies, Ube mochi brownie and the Ube dulce de leche - all are extremely delicious! My favorite was the dulce de leche. They have a variety of drinks on their menu so there is something for everyone. The owner is working her butt off and she was soooo nice to everyone. I love family owned places and this one really does show they put their love into their food and drinks! I will be coming back read more

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I tried Kafe de Manila for the first time today and I say you definitely should give it a try. I ordered their UBE crinkle cookies for $8.29. You get six cookies in a pack. The cookies were worth it for sure. I enjoyed the soft texture of the UBE crinkle cookies. It sort of reminded me of a sugar cookie taste wise with UBE incorporated into it. Then for my drink I got the UBE-Yam milkshake ($8.49) and that is definitely a must try. I honestly did not feel guilty drinking that particular milkshake just because it wasn't super sweet. I most definitely got the UBE-Yam flavor from the milkshake. As for the service, it was good and the people working were nice. The only thing I could say is that it isn't a place you can really sit and relax just because it's small and there's not really much seating. read more

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I would try the desserts again. I would say the coffee was more ice then anything else and would not get that again read more

Kafé de Manila - Ube coffee - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

I was nervous about trying ube. It's pronounced "Oo-bay". Took a chance, got the Iced Ube Float Latte. It was so good. Apparently I like purple yams lol. I kept digging to the bottom to get more. You do have to mix well. Next time I need to get a drink with more ube. Only con is that I wish there was a place to sit to look out the window, but Somerville is a cute town to walk around. There's also this really pretty mural near the cafe that I'm obsessed with. Definitely recommend. read more

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When I think of the Philippines, I think of ube, Milo, pandan, and all the panlamig treats -- and this spot delivers them perfectly! My cousin told me that this place has the best pastries and Filipino drinks - she was 100% right!. The Ube Crinkles were the star -- I took home three packs to share with my officemates, and even first-timers loved them! The Gulaman was great too (though I'm eyeing the Iskrambol next time ). Friendly staff, great vibes -- just wish there was more space to sit and chill. Already planning to go back and bring home BOTH Ube and Pandan crinkles for me and to share! read more

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Cozy cafe with friendly staff and great drink flavors. Arrived with a group of 8 and all of our orders came out efficiently. Love all of the Ube and Pandan desserts and drinks available. Enjoyed both the ube milkshake and ube horchata but they were both on the sweeter side. I diluted my drink at home and it was perfect. Limited seating, no bathroom, but very clean. Street parking. read more

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Updated review! Still great! We've gotten a lot of their drinks and desserts at the new location in downtown Somerville. Our favorites are still the crinkle cookies - in both the Pandan and Ube flavors. read more

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The ube espresso latte was a unique pairing. I can taste the earth flavor of ube and at the same time taste the espresso and smell the aroma of coffee. It's on the sweet side for me. I wished there's an option of having less sugar. I got the tres leches cake. The cake is too soaked and extremely sweet for me. read more

Kafé de Manila - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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If you love ube, this is a must-visit spot. It's perfect for satisfying any sweet tooth. They offer a great variety of ube treats, including ube brownies, ube banana pudding, and ube crinkle cookies. In the summer, they also serve halo-halo--a refreshing dessert drink with ice cream, jellies, and beans. They have coffee options too, though I haven't tried those yet. It's a grab-and-go shop, so there's no seating available. Parking is mainly on the street, with a few lots around the corner. Overall, definitely worth stopping by if you're a fan of ube treats. read more

Went to try this place for Avocado shakes/smoothie and banana bread pudding. They're taste good. The place is busy. There's a long line where they take your order. No dine in tables and no bathroom for customers. Parking is limited, curbside next to it. read more

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My first time visiting this cafe and am blown away by their kindness and customer service. I wasn't aware that they don't allow pets and since I had my pup with me I called them to let them know the same and if they would be able to hand me the beverage outside and they did. They were super busy yet made sure I received my Yelp treat within minutes. A wonderful gesture I must say! I love ube in general and with the addition of matcha, the taste was simply 10x. I will definitely be visiting again to see the beautiful purple cafe and enjoy some more items on the menu. Parking is somewhat difficult to find but Somerville has plenty of paid parking. Not pet-friendly. read more

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My coworker recommended that I try Kafe de Manila and trust me, I became a fan right away. I immediately signed up for their rewards program because I knew that this wasn't going to be my last visit. I am so glad they moved to Somerville because I think they will get a lot more customers. The owner is very nice and she takes pride in serving her customers! I'm always greeted with a smile and I told her my goal was to try all their incredible drinks on the menu. I have posted a lot of pictures of my drinks and desserts and I'm always satisfied whenever I visit. The crinkles are magical, the Ube or Pandan crinkles are 10/10 so if you haven't try them please do so asap! I must say everything I've gotten from Kafe de Manila has been delicious! You can also follow them on social media, they are always posting something amazing. Keep up the good work and I can't wait to visit them again! read more

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Representation coming in hot in Central Jersey. Super fun and friendly service, proud to see some Filipino representation on this stunning main street area. They eventually ran out of ube initially but were very accommodating for our massive group. We had the Milo Latte which took us back to our childhood :) read more

I have already raved about this place but looking over my last review, I don't think I've raved ENOUGH! I come back here all the time for ube crinkle cookies, ube brownies, and strawberry calamansi. I am so in love with the cookies especially-- they have a great rich cake like texture that can't be beat. Service is always prompt and friendly and the store is well stocked with so many amazing new desserts! The drink menu is huge and it feels like there is really everything for an ube-lover: cheesecake, cookies, brownies, tiramisu, floats, lattes, and so much more! This was also where I tried calamansi for the first time and now we order it every time we visit! read more

Kafé de Manila - Strawberry calamansi - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

If you're looking to try a cafe that emphasizes on using Ube then you have come to the right place. This quaint cafe located in the heart of Somerville has an extensive menu of Ube flavored treats and drinks. Ube monster milkshake, which had the perfect amount of sweetness and the purple crinkle cookies, which tasted absolutely delicious. I will be returning just to buy some more cookies. read more

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If you love ube as much as I do, this is a must eat dessert spot! I ordered the ube and banana pudding and oh my gosh, it was so delicious and addictive, I had to order another one to go. Their crinkle ube cookies are also tasty. The ube brownie and ube brownie mochi is okay. I'm definitely coming back and for sure ordering another ube banana pudding! Parking is tough here. It is off street and metered Mondays through Saturdays. read more

After years of living right down the street from them when they were in Raritan and not getting to try them, I finally did in their new digs in Somerville. Not to mention, it was my first time trying an Ube anything really and so I went ahead and had their famous Ube Latte. First and foremost, top-notch service! They were super busy also working a street fest happening this day but that did not stop them from very efficiently cranking out bevvies indoors. The Ube Latte is a delight...a purple sweet cream if you will and you will find it needs no additional sweetener which I think is awesome. Best thing is, their menu is vast...bubble tea and other coffee drinks as well as pastries and other Filipino treats. Will definitely be back soon to try other items from their menu! read more

Kafé de Manila - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

Most certainly one of Central New Jersey's up and coming cafes! Kafe de Manila is so unique, offering a Filipino inspired menu, including flavors like Ube and Pandan. They have endless options of drinks and baked goods from coffee drinks to bubble teas, cookies and cakes. Everything looked spectacular. I did try their Iced Ube Float with coffee and their Ube cookie, both were insanely delicious. I highly recommended both. The ambience is super casual and clean and the staff were amazing! On a busy Saturday afternoon they had tons of customers and were still able to work quickly and gracefully. I can't wait to come back and try more of their drinks and another one of their sweet treats! Thank you! read more

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Not bad! I got the Ube Latte and I also had a sip of their Ube Milk Tea. The Ube paste is hard to mix into the drink so most of the drink tasted like regular coffee/ordinary milk tea with Ube chunks. I did have to wait a while for some of the paste to kinda dissolve, wasn't a huge fan of eating the chunks with the drink but at least the flavor of the paste was good. read more

Kafé de Manila - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

My wife was craving for some taho (silken taho with brown sugar syrup and tapioca pearls) and wanted the old fashioned, Pinoy style, not the one that you get from a typical Asian store or China town. We heard that Kafe De Manila had some, do we trekked to this spot. It was worth the trip. She had the traditional Taho, I got the Ube Taho. They were both good. I really liked the Ube Taho because it wasn't too sweet. My wife also got the Ube Latte, whole I got the Java Chip Frappé. Both were spot on. Can't complain. The staff was friendly and kind. They did their best to get the drinks out to you despite the long queue. I just wish they had more space for tables and chairs so people could hang out there. Otherwise, it's a nice joint. We're definitely doing another trip there soon. read more

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The inside of the store was neatly decorated. I love ube flavor so my family ordered a lot to share. We ordered the Ube milkshake, Ube cookie, Ube drink with expresso, Ube tres leches, and ube tiramisu. For the ube drink, while I loved eating the ube ice cream by itself, I followed their instructions to mix well into the drink which also tasted delicious. The ice in the ube milkshake wasn't too finely ground so it was still crunchy as you drank it. Ube tres leches was very sweet but you can definitely taste the ube flavor. I love tiramisu and the ube tiramisu was my favorite with the flavor of ube blended into one of my favorite desserts. The ube cookie was pretty soft and just sweet enough. There are no bathrooms in this store. There's no direct parking lot if you want to come but there are multiple parking lots around the area with a quick walk. Mon-Sat is $1/hour and free on Sundays. read more

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Kafé de Manila is a nice bright shop right on Main St, I love the purple color throughout the shop. The staff and owner are very kind and sweet, I appreciated the warm customer service, recommendations, and smiles. I ordered the iced ube float with no coffee or matcha, which is really good! It's not very sweet, and that's how I prefer most of my drinks. I will definitely be stopping by to order it again! I also ordered the ube tres leche and the ube bread pudding. I still have yet to try the ube tres leche, but the bread pudding is delicious! When you order the bread pudding, they'll normally add an additional crème brûlée brown sugar finish on the top, but I asked that they not add that to my piece. It's the perfect sweetness for me as it is without the additional sugar. I was told that many people have not ordered the bread pudding yet, because it's still a new item. But I'm here to tell you that it's a must order! I will definitely be back to get another iced ube and bread pudding, and try something new too! read more

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Tried the ube hot chocolate here and it was absolutely delicious! It was the perfect hot drink to have in the cold weather. There were also tons of dessert options that I'd love to come back and try. Interior is very cute, but there's limited seating. Would recommend getting your order to go. read more

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Bravo! This place was sensational. I'll start off with the interior which was perfectly colored purple just like their specialty ube which I very much noticed and appreciated. I got an order of they were sort of Ube bites where it was a cookie shaped sweet, but had a cake like texture when eating and powdered sugar on the exterior of the sweet. This was incredibly good. The best item though was my Ube milkshake. I love sweets and ice cream, including milkshakes. This was the best milkshake I've ever had in my life. Obey and milkshakes just belong together and the way that this place makes their milkshakes is exceptional. It's just a tad bit on the thicker side, but not so thick that it's difficult to sip. It's also more on the icy side which you'll notice when sipping your milkshake I think, though that all of that makes it taste so good. I cannot wait to come back here and although it is far from where I live, I will definitely be back. Best milkshake I've ever had. read more

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Super friendly staff and an endless Ube themed menu to choose from. Purple is my favorite color so walking into this store was like walking into a dream. I've never had an Ube float so I didn't know what to expect but the texture and flavor was so nice and refreshing. The pandan cookie was so tasty and I love the way it looks. My husband ordered an Ube banana pudding and shaken espresso, I had a sip and it was just so good. Not too sweet. This is the cutest little shop with a nice window seat and plenty of photo opps with a purple background and a purple drink in the foreground. I can't wait to bring friends here soon. read more

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July '25: filipino cafe. they moved from raritan to somerville main st. Nice interior. 1 table and 2 seats for dine in. No more outside chairs to enjoy their delicious foods. See images for reference. read more

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This place is awesome!!! OMG, the matcha ube float was so delicious!!l the service was quick and it's owned by family. They made a beautiful establishment. The crinkle cookie is DELISH. I can't wait to go back and try the pandan flavors!! A ton of dessert options so excited to try the ube tres leches next time. read more

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Kafé de Manila is an exceptional business. From their massive selection to their high quality products to their helpful service- Kafé de Manila may very well be my favorite place to grab a coffee/sweet treat in the entire tri-state area. In my trips to Kafé de Manila I have ordered a variety of drinks: the ube cold brew, ube latte, pandan latte, ube Vietnamese latte, pandan Vietnamese latte, Spanish latte and the ube horchata. Each drink is a 5/5 drink. The flavors in each are natural (no artificial flavors), refreshing and incredibly delicious. Each drink hits the happy-medium of being a treat, but is never too sweet. My personal favorites are the ube cold brew and the ube horchata- the latter being the best sweet treat I've had in my life, absolutely no exaggeration. The interior is cute and very purple- you will definitely know you're in a business that specializes in ube. The staff is always knowledgeable. They can recommend/comment on any drink on the menu based on your preferences and will let you know if you try to order a drink combination where the flavors might not mix or be too overwhelming (as I am a serial drink customizer). As someone who frequents businesses with ube options and has been to ube fest in Manhattan, Kafé de Manila outshines them all. Whether you live in central Jersey or somewhere a bit further, it is worth making the trip to Kafé de Manila. read more

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I'm an AVID ube and taro lover. I come here specifically because there's no place I've found that has an ube bubble tea as amazing as this! I love supporting a local business and y ohh can tell they make it with care. If you love Ube 100/10 highly recommend read more

Love this place! The owner is really nice and loves her community. The new somerville location is the best, and love the selection of ube drinks and desserts. Definitely try the ube latte or the taho! read more

Kafé de Manila - UBE COLD BREW - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

Kafe de Manila, congratulations on your relocation to Main Street in downtown Somerville!! You'll get so much more foot traffic at this new location and I'm excited for the community to experience the deliciousness that is Filipino desserts and flavors :) As a Filipino-American woman, I had to come to Kafe de Manila's new location to support them yesterday and it did not disappoint! They've expanded their menu and the interior is so cutely decorated. There's limited seating, but it's a very welcoming and inviting space with friendly staff. I ordered Ube Yam Milk Tea with tapioca to drink that night, Buko Pandan Vietnamese Coffee without ice (to put in the fridge to drink earlier this morning), and Buko Pandan drink with tapioca for my husband. The Ube Yam Milk Tea has a real ube yam taste (not artificial like other places that just use extract instead of actually ube yam or ube halaya/ube jam) and their boba has a great, bouncy consistency. The Buko Pandan Vietnamese Coffee wasn't what I expected though. Typically, Vietnamese coffee has condensed milk in it to offset the strong coffee taste (Kafe de Manila's Vietnamese coffee has 4 shots of espresso in it and the staff lets you know that when you order). It's usually still VERY strong but the condensed milk provides a sweet taste to help it go down more smoothly, but I didn't taste or see any condensed milk in mine. I guess they use their homemade Buko Pandan cold foam to replace the condensed milk, but as tasty as their cold foam is, it doesn't quite counteract the bitterness of the strong espresso in their Vietnamese coffee so I didn't love it. Regardless, I'm excited to come back and try more of their drinks because their Ube Yam Milk Tea was an instant go-to for me and my husband really loved their Buko Pandan Drink!! read more

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Love, love, love the authenticity!! Real ube, not powdered anything. So many yummy treats but came specifically for the Puto Bumbong because no Filipino Christmas is complete without Puto Bumbong! So freaking delicious!! Got the classic & the special with cheese & condensed milk and I have to say, as much as we are true to classics, sometimes, spin-offs are waaay better! Also picked up a hot matcha latte & a ube croissant. Yum!! The service is friendly but unfortunately, a little slow. But I get it. Their drinks are complex with a lot of elements and because you can't get them everywhere, that's what people order. I like the location of this spin-off but the other one had way more seating. This one only had a side table with 2 chairs and bench seating at the window. No real place to sit and enjoy it there and that's unfortunate. read more

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I love this place so much the food and drinks are always so good. Me and my boyfriend like to come here. The horchata matcha tastes good but it is very chalky or powdery when you drink it, I'm not too familiar with horchata so idk if that's normal (probably), but if you don't want that in a drink u should probably just get normal matcha. THE TRES LECHES IS SO GOOD! read more

Kafé de Manila - Ube tres leches - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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I feel like it's so hard to find Filipino desserts around the area so it was nice to stumble upon Kafe de Manila. There were so many delicious ube treats but I ended up getting a yakult calamansi, which was the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. Staff is super sweet and friendly. Just a heads up- there's no bathroom in case you needed to use one. read more

Kafé de Manila - Yakult Calamansi - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

I'm so excited this opened up! Somerville was in desperate need for more Asian dessert spots and the fact that Grumpy Boba closed, this was much needed! I'm excited to go back and try most of their menu! I opted for the ube hot chocolate as my first drink here and it was AMAZING! Perfectly sweet with little ube chunks! I can't wait to try their pastries along with the ube latte next time. read more

Kafé de Manila - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

Delicious!! Service was fast (as we went when it opened-less lines)! The place was warm and welcoming! Will be back to try everything on the menu! The ube dulce de leche and pandan crinkles were yummy. read more

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Awesome place! Everything is color purple! The ambiance is amazing and the cashiers are very nice people. There aren't any tables or chairs where to sit, but it's a good place to try something different and tasty at the same time. read more

Kafé de Manila - Ube Iced Ube Yam Shaken Espresso - Bubble Tea Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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