We’re in the era of ube. Mike and Hazel Quimpo, along with their two kids, began their cottage bakery, Ube MKE, in March, using as their star ingredient ube, a purple yam native to the Philippines.

To give the treats they make their bright purple hue, they use halaya, a creamy ube jam. The halaya also has a sweet, nut-like flavor and helps give the cookies and brownies their dense, fudgy texture. Twelve-year-old Miles does a lot of the baking, while 10-year-old Zelda works on their social media (mom Hazel has a marketing background).

Since moving here from Southern California in July of 2025, the Quimpos have struggled to find much representation of their Filipino heritage in our city’s food culture. They initially wanted to sell their baked goods just as a vendor at the Shorewood Farmers Market. However, the response to their “test run” website/online ordering platform proved that people want more than summer market access to their purple baked goods. They’re seriously that good – try the brownies (melted white chocolate gives them a browned butter-like flavor). Order for local pickup now.

“My mother is pretty much my primary source of all the things that I know about anything.” 

–Speed Queen’s Giovonni Gillespie, on his late mother/co-founder, Betty. In July, the BBQ joint on 12th and Walnut celebrated 70 years in business.

A 1950s-themed sports parlor with a Rat Pack vibe, The Vig is scheduled to open in late August inside The Couture (909 E. Michigan St.). The concept has two locations in Chicago.  •  In June, the owners of Greendale’s Día Café (6601 Northway) closed its sister restaurant, Noche, expanding Día to include a new sit-down space and Día After Dark (open Wed-Sat nights), featuring tapas, cocktails and desserts.  •  Nonfiction Natural Wines (2563 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) doesn’t open until noon most days, but this summer Love Café is doing a seasonal stint there (Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-noon), serving cold brew, mango matcha and coconut milk cake.  •  The new Not Bad Foods trailer, whose sandwich menu includes grilled mortadella and spicy chicken, has taken up residence on the patio at Bad Moon Saloon (4035 S. Clement Ave., St. Francis). Not Bad owner Scott Zajork had managed the Foxfire food truck, which had a cult following for its spicy chicken sandwich.