We Love Ube, Here’s Where to Get It in Michigan

Have you ever thought about what colors taste like? Orange is easy; it’s bright, juicy, and extremely citrusy. I mean, there’s literally a fruit named after it (or is it the other way around?). Red makes sense too: a sharp spicy or tart flavor that's maybe a little dramatic, like biting into a cherry or chili pepper. Brown is trickier. Is it sweet and deep like a square of dark chocolate, or savory and layered like a perfectly grilled burger? I suppose this is something each of us has to figure out on our own.

For me, the easiest answer is purple. Purple tastes like ube. If you haven’t heard of ube yet, don’t worry… you’re not late, you’re just fashionably on time. And if you have heard of it, congratulations —you can officially consider yourself a foodie! Ube is a vibrant purple yam originally from the Philippines that tastes like a blend of vanilla, pistachio, and coconut. It’s the kind of flavor that knows how to play well with others, making desserts brighter, creamier, and a whole lot more complex.

In Michigan, one of the very best places to taste ube in its full glory is a bakery in Detroit’s New Center neighborhood called JP Makes and Bakes. This spot is not just a bakery, y'all; it’s a love letter to Filipino flavors, written in butter, sugar, and just the right amount of purple, which, in my opinion, you can never have too much of.

Ube has been used in Filipino desserts for centuries, from ice cream to cakes to halo-halo (the layered shaved-ice dessert that deserves its own Netflix special). It’s sometimes confused with taro, its less colorful cousin, but ube stands out with its bold violet hue and naturally sweet, nutty profile. When you taste it, you realize it’s not a gimmick—it’s a tradition. JP Makes and Bakes brings that tradition to Detroit, while also giving it a playful, modern spin.

The bakery was founded by Jonathan Peregrino, a man who grew up cooking alongside his mom and grandma, left a 15-year corporate career, and took the plunge into pastry school in the Philippines. He sharpened his craft, and even hit the national stage on Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship, baking alongside some of Detroit’s top pastry teams before bringing his own vision to life. It reads like a movie script: a kid with asthma who traded video games for mixing bowls, discovered magic in flour and sugar, and grew up to open one of the city’s most cherished Filipino food spots.

New Center, where the bakery lives, is a neighborhood that wears its history with pride but knows how to keep things lively. Just blocks from the Fisher Building (Detroit’s art deco crown jewel) you’ll find JP Makes and Bakes tucked in among a mix of classic architecture and bustling local spots. Once you’ve demolished an ube brownie or two—or maybe an ensaymada (yes, it’s a sweet roll topped with frosting and cheese, and yes, it’s weirdly perfect)—you’re only steps away from Detroit icons. Catch a show at the Fisher Theatre, or wander into the Motown Museum and pretend you’re the next Smokey Robinson. It’s the sort of neighborhood where an innocent pastry run can accidentally turn into a day-long adventure.

While we're thinking about pastries, let’s dig into the good stuff. JP Makes and Bakes cranks out a daily lineup of Filipino classics, each with its own twist. You'll find chewy ube cookies, soft and pillowy Pan de Sal rolls, gooey ube brownies, and Bibingka: a traditional Filipino cake that sometimes shows up wearing a blueberry crown or a cream cheese surprise. Pan de Coco hides a sweet coconut and brown sugar center, while Pan de Everything takes your favorite roll and covers it in, well, everything seasoning.

Feeling adventurous? Their rotating cast of treats might greet you with flaky kepeng crackers, crumbly polvoron shortbread, or a slice of gluten-free cassava cake that proves purple yam magic works for everyone. There are even vegan options, proving that purple yam magic doesn’t discriminate.

No bakery trip is complete without something to sip, and JP Makes and Bakes delivers. You can grab your classic espresso drinks, but the real fun starts with their calamansi lemonade: a tart-sweet punch that tastes like lemon, lime, and orange decided to form a band and absolutely nailed their debut single. Then there’s the superstar: the Ube Coco Ma. Think velvety ube syrup swirling with coconut milk and matcha, basically a dessert in disguise, but somehow still refreshingly light enough to trick you into ordering a second one.

This bakery isn’t just about food… it’s about community. From its Hatch Detroit-supported opening to its welcoming space in New Center, JP Makes and Bakes brings Filipino culture to the heart of the city, giving Detroiters (and anyone willing to make the trip) a chance to experience ube in Michigan in all its glory.

So next time you’re in Detroit, skip the generic donut run and treat yourself to something purple, unexpected, and unforgettable. Visit New Center, wander its streets, take in the sights, and most importantly, stop by JP Makes and Bakes. Because if orange tastes like citrus, and red tastes like drama, then purple tastes like ube. And in Michigan, nobody does it better.

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