Cafe 86

Came here because of the food porn pics posted on the @infatuation_la instagram!
Wanted to try the ube flam cupcake, or the ube bread pudding, but unfortunately those are only offered on certain days. (Bread pudding — Sunday and Wednesday)
Tried the ube ice cream sandwich, and the ube cheesecake though! The ice cream sandwich was huge and delicious. I couldn’t finish the cookies – it was 2 big cookies with a hefty scoop of ube ice cream in between.
The cheesecake was the perfect size, and also delicious. (Try it!) I liked it more than the ice cream sandwich.
Didn’t try anything else, but I’ll probably come back again and check it out once more.

Ube flan cupcake, churro mochi thing, and ube truffle were all good. Mochi was our favorite. It’s basically seared mochi (by a panini or tortilla press?) with cinnamon sugar. Flan in the cupcake was very rich and eggy, just how I like custard.
Long wait for our drinks, but they make an authentic Matcha Latte by whisking matcha In a cup prior to pouring milk. Americano was really good as well do we could tell they use quality beans and can pull a decent espresso.

I’ve been wanting to come here when it was in Chino. Thankfully they opened up a place in Pasadena.
I tried the ube leche flan & it was so good. The ube flavor was a slight hint and the flan wasn’t too sweet. Just the perfect taste. The churrochi (deep fried mochi topped with churro flavor) was an interesting combination. The churro was soft because mochi is in the inside.
When you check in you get a free hibiscus cooler. It’s perfect for a hot Cali day. I also tried the Thai Tea monster (Thai tea milkshake and Oreo). When I got the drink it looked like it was a chocolate slush & surprisingly it was a good cold treat. Everything here was delicious and unique in taste. I’m definitely coming back.

I’ve seen Café 86 on social media and I’ve been dying to try it. I know they have a Chino location and was surprised to see this in Old Town Pasadena. The concept of having a Filipino fusion café was exciting to see my culture being put on the map. The hype, however, did not live up to its expectations.
I ordered the ube iced latte. The cashier said it wasn’t caffeinated so I asked them to put caffeine in it. I assume this meant they added a shot of espresso. Anyway, why call it a latte if there’s no coffee in it? Maybe the drink tasted better without caffeine, but it just tasted like a typical iced coffee to me. No hint of ube flavors included.
I also ordered the ube cupcake with leche flan on top and to my dismay, the leche flan lacked the typical sweetness that makes leche flan, leche flan. Also, the ube cupcake barely tasted like ube. It was very dough-​y and they must have added some artificial ube flavoring to the cake batter mix but it definitely did not taste like authentic ube.
So all in all, sorry Café 86, — get in touch with your roots and get your act together.

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/​-: OVERALL RATING : — \
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/​4.5÷5: Venue/​Décor \
\ 5.0÷5: Service /​
/​4.5÷5: Ambiance \
\ 5.0÷5: Food/​Variety /​
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I know I’ve only been here once but I am truly really liking Café 86 — for there is not one quite like it in the OC (esp serving UBE varieties)! I’ve also checked out their other location in Chino & it’s an adorable spot too. It’s really as good as it gets! When given the chance I’ll definitely stop by either café if I’m in the area! There’s much more to try still~ If one ever opens up in OC, I know I would be addicted in going in every week: P
Recently Kape Republik opened up (on 4÷30÷16) in Cerritos & I had to go check it out since there was UBE involved. They are in a way pretty «similar» in the concept to Café 86. But IMO there is definitely more UBE drinks & various UBE pastries at Café 86.
-: — VENUE /​DECOR -: —
This location is a bit more hidden (in the alley) & not visible from the main street of Colorado. It’s more of a hipster-​ish vibe with a bit of a rustic feel. Warm décor includes wood furniture, brick walls, traffic signs, leather couch, old-​school trunk turned table, table table & window/​bar seating, Not good for huge groups since seating are minimal. By the entrance, there is a table with self-​serve typical café condiments. Weekends it is definitely busy!
-: — SERVICE -: —
Once you step foot into the venue you’ll see pastries displayed in front of you & the menu is on a chalk-​like board to the right. You place your order first & then they call your name for pick-​up. The staff was super friendly, courteous, & patient. I had 2 separate orders to place with a line behind me & out the door! The gal was really nice & didn’t rush me at all. They get the orders out in a very fair amount of time.
-: — DESSERTS/​DRINKS -: —
Ube/​Coconut Bundt Cake [4.5/5]
Halo Halo Bread Budding [5.0/5]
– a lot for me to eat in one seating, so I spread it out over a couple of days — still good!
Ube Latte (hot) [5.0/5]
– def taste the ube! Also, no non-​fat milk served here
Iced Coffee [4.5/5]
-: — NOTES -: —
1) I do not recall seeing any restrooms available for the public
2) Sign up/​Register your number for their loyalty program
3) Pastries rotates on a daily basis: 3 – 4 different kinds a day. Check their IG posting!
4) Check-​in on Unilocal & get a freebie

I have to say I am a little disappointed after all the hype I saw online and on Instagram. Not saying their food is bad, maybe I just had high expectations.
Came in on a Tuesday afternoon and there wasn’t a lot of selection on pastries, just the use pie and the corn pie and the ube brownie. They only sell the ube truffles and the flan cupcake on the weekends to my understanding, which is what they are known for.
We got a slice of ube pie, ube brownie, and a free hibiscus cooler from checking in on Unilocal.The cooler was refreshing and the perfect amount of sweetness. The ube brownie had a good texture but lacked distinct flavor. The pie was the best, the ube flavor was smooth and sweet.
Hopefully I’ll get a chance to come back on a weekend to try their other offerings.

Located in a little alley in front of Colorado Boulevard, you will see a cluster of little eateries and bars. In between frida tacos and spinfish poke, you will see tucked away in their own corner, a little café.
It definitely has that hipster vibe, with all the usual trimmings! Wood furniture, traffic signs, a causal couch, handwritten typography on a chalk board, and of course the drinks and dessert to back it up!
Ube (taro) seems to be the star ingredient at this particular café. They seem to have it available in every shape and form! I came for the desserts, but by the time I arrived, their display was nearly barren! They only had some smookies (s’mores with a cookie Inbetween the graham cracker and chocolate), a ube pie, and two ube cheesecake cupcakes! I also found out that they only sell certain desserts on certain days!
Tried the ube cheesecake cupcake, and I was very happy with the buttery crust that lined the bottom. Though the cheesecake seemed to lack the ube flavor, but there were moments in between bites when it stood out!
I would like to come back to try their drinks, flan cupcake and ube bread pudding! Overall a nice little hangout spot for a quick pit stop.

So good!!! I’ve been to he one in chino. they did not have anything :(
Check in for the free hibiscus tea with purchase of course. Everything was delicious
My fav: Mais con Yelo pie was
. I highly recommend getting this if it’s your first time
Other stuff: the leche flan ube cupcake. It was ok. Taste like it would. A leche flan on a cupcake. Worth a try
Drinks: hibiscus with calamansi was good! Esp since it’s free! The ube shake was good. It’s huge so make sure to share with someone !
They also have vegan options as well

Oh my goodness, this place is a hidden gem! It’s literally kind of hidden in a little alley in OTP. But if you can find it, you’ll hopefully love it as much as I do! It’s a Filipino take on drinks and dessert/​snacks, run by the coolest dudes!
My drink was the Ube Latte. It was delicious! I’d definitely recommend this one as it’s a spin on the normal Latte. The Ube flavor was perfect! Boyfriend got the Kouki Monster. This drink was great too although not as special as mine! Both drinks were made well and were of good quality!
I got the Ube Truffles, which is what they’re known for (anything Ube i suppose), and it was definitely unique. It wasn’t necessarily my favorite item of the evening, but it’s something I’d be willing to get again! I’m definitely looking forward to the day when the Ube Flan Cupcakes will still be available when I go… I hear those are THE item to get! We also got the Thai Tea Cheesecake. That was also VERY good! It was pretty much a good quality cheesecake that tasted just like Thai Tea.
The ambiance here is also cute. A nice little rustic feel. I’m glad I stumbled in here because I’m now a huge fan of this place and cannot wait to come back!

The hype is real! 1^st time here and Wow! There was a long line when I got there so I was very excited to try this café. I heard all the hype about their pastries and drinks. I was in the area so why not try it. Took me awhile to find it because I had no idea it was in the alley. I had to call to ask where it was. Hard to find but it’s near Cheesecake Factory and across from iPic Movie. The employees are awesome! Very friendly and answers all your questions.
Food–
Ube leche flan cupcake
This one is their best selling one!
It’s not a hype it’s freaking amazing!
The cupcake is moist and you can definitely taste the ube ingredient. I’ve been to many Filipino pastries that just color their dessert purple but this one you can taste the quality. To top this cupcake off, they added a delicious flan on top! I loved it! Maybe because that’s how I bake my flan too. It’s just perfect.
Ube truffle —
Another hit! Crunchy on the outside and moist in the inside. Delicious!
Hibiscus calamansi iced tea–
Free when you check in but it’s so refreshing! A must try!
Peach mango calamansi iced tea–
My fave! The flavors blended perfectly. Not so sweet either which I liked. Anything with mango and calamansi I’m all in!
Über monster shake–
Dessert in a cup! Holy moly ube heaven! With the boba and truffle bits at the bottom… This is a shake that’ll put u in a good mood!
I’m definitely coming back to o try their other drinks and sweets!
There’s a few seats inside and outside seats too but it can get packed. So just be aware of that. Over all this café is 5 stars :)

Stopped by again today for breakfast and finally got my ube leche flan cupcake! OMG seriously all the hype is real! This dessert is UBEr amazing! Deliciously sweet with that ube flavor and the leche flan on top is silken and creamy.
Along with my dessert purchase I got a free hibiscus cooler (iced tea) with my Unilocal check in. I know their menu is more than just desserts and decided to try it out, so I ordered the longanisa flat bread. A squared flat bread covered in cheese, onions, mushrooms and chucks of sausage. The bread was light and chewy, the cheese perfectly complimented the toppings. It was unexpectedly more like a sauce-​less pizza and that’s okay (I love pizza!)
I’m so hooked on this place and looking to come back to try their bread pudding.

Ube everything! The pictures looked promising so I made a visit (located in Old Town Pasadena next to Spinfish).
Ordered the ube ice cream sandwich and ube flan cupcake.
The ube ice cream is sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies and is pretty big. They’re generous with the amount of ice cream. Surprisingly, the ice cream wasn’t over the top sweet which I appreciate given I’m not a huge dessert person.
Ube flan cupcake is more on the smaller side, not like the size of a Sprinkles cupcake. The flan on top is a good combination though the flan is more on the sweet side.
Worth a try given than there aren’t to many or any places that specialize in ube everything dessert!

Sadly the ube flan cupcakes I was first enticed by to make all the way out to Café 86 are served only Wednesdays and Sundays. We came by on a Monday. So I made do with their Ube Monster Milk Shake $ 5.99. It came with a base of crushed chocolate cookies and was yummers. Not too sweet for my friend, yet plenty sweet for me.
Café 86 is located in Old Pasadena, off the beaten path a tad, down a walking alley past Frida Tacos.

Oooh I’m craving this place right now. We visited based on Unilocal reviews and were not disappointed.
Ambiance: space is open and super comfy to hang out in. It’s initially hard to find because it’s down a smaller street
Food
#Ube cake truffle: This is a must try here. The center is so yummy with a mildly crunchy outering. Good value at $ 1.95
#Ube flan: It’s so light. The textures of the flan juxtaposed with the ube cupcake is just divine. I wish I had one right now. $ 3.60/ea
#Tiger drink which is Thai & Milk tea: interesting combo but I personally think it’s better as it’s own individual drinks $ 3.50 with bobba
#Hibiscus drink: it’s free with a Unilocal checkin. Very refreshing and def worth trying out
The only negative is no parking but the area is very hip and a nice walk to if you can get street parking elsewhere. I will definitely come back and try more things out next time!

I had Café 86 on my crosshairs for many months, but never pulled the trigger until last month. I was glad that I finally quenched my ube cravings! :)
Promotion: Check in and get a free hibiscus ice tea with any pastry purchase.
Location/​Parking: Located in a small street called Mills Alley Place. Another marker you can use is Unilocaling Spinfish Poke House
. Meter parking can be found along Colorado Blvd and Fair Oaks Ave. I would recommend to park in the Fair Oaks Parking structure… 90 minutes freee!
Ambiance/​Décor: Felt very comfortable and there are plenty of modern furnishings. Great place to study, work, or hang out with friends.
Service: Staffers were very friendly, helpful, and informative of their goods.
Pastries:
1) Ube Leche Flan Cupcakes: Available Wednesday and Fridays! Flan on top of a moist ube cupcake? You heard that right! Best of all, the cupcake is just right in sweetness. If it’s too sweet, the hibiscus tea can wash it all away.
2) Ube Truffle: YUM! Crunch (oreo crumbs) on the outside and moist in the inside! You’ll definitely taste the ube!
Drinks: I’ve tried two things so far…
1) Ube Monster: Ube shake topped with whip cream and oreo crumbs. If you’re health concious, go sans whip cream and go half sugar! :) Definitely keep the oreo crumbs!
2) Hibiscus Cooler: Very refreshing and will definitely cool you down when it’s hot out.
Definitely a go-​to place when I need my ube fix! :)

Not your Filipino mom (or Tita’s/Auntie’s) ube.
Café 86 has revamped & renewed a flavor that is loved by many. Filipino or not, ube is a purple yam of moderate sweetness that is a treat no matter what way you make it, turn it, or eat it.
Ube-​flavored items:
— UBE TRUFFLES are rich, moist, and addictive! You think you’ll only be eating one till you find yourself fighting your friend for the last one! These are no tiny truffles either. They’re not the ones you eat in one bite! You take two or three. More bites to savor!
— UBE FLAN CUPCAKES are a massive dessert all for one. Ube cupcake on the bottom & a slick slice of sweet flan plopped right on top! These were the desserts every Filipino kid grew up with that HAD to be present at every Filipino party. To combine these two completely independent desserts is genius.
— UBE CRINKLE: I am a sucker for crinkle cookies. The dust of sugar powder, the crumble & crinkly look that makes you think your cookie would quickly fall apart only to then say SIKE, I’m a soft and chewy cookie! &Surprise. Ube flavored!
Non Ube-​flavored items:
— CHURROCHI are my favorite! Churro consistency on the outside & mochi consistency on the inside. Cinnamon-​y and sugary, crunchy but chewy and toasty. Been in love with these guilty treats since I had my first bite of them.
— POTATO CHIP CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE is exactly what you think. Large chocolate chip cookie with huge pieces of potato chips stuck right on top! Salty & sweet is such a beautiful tasteful combo. More treats should be made just like this!
Many of my Pasadena trips always end up here because there is always something new. I love their strategy of having certain baked goods only on certain days. So beware of when your favorite treats are sold throughout the week.
Great taste & even lovelier space, 86!

I literally only came here for the flan ube cupcakes.
They are a little bit pricey at $ 3.99 each.
But they are beautiful to look at.
And they come in a nice cupcake plastic box.
The flan was nice and thick, not too sweet.
The ube had really good strong flavor, but it was a tiny bit too dry.
But overall, it was good, but not amazing.

Ube Flan Cupcake is a must-​try. Highly recommend going early in the day as people have mentioned it tasting stale towards the end of day.
Employees are super kind and helpful. They served us even though we came before they opened! The vintage furniture in here is also a plus.

Look down the alley, near Yogurtland and you will see shops and other places.
Seating indoor and a cute bench outside too.
A bit of a line and I can really see why.
Free hibiscus cooler with check in. Refreshing and yummy!
Ube cupcake topped with flan. Sounds interesting and looks great. A little dry, you can taste the ube in the cupcake. The flan helps the dryness but I feel that it can use something extra.
Halo halo bread pudding, wow oh wow. This is my favorite, so delicious and I can taste all the flavors, the bread they use is very buttery and delicious!

My first experience with ube and it was a great one! There was s steady stream of people coming in the whole time, and it’s not hard to see why!
+ leche flan ube cupcake: flan tasted great and the creamy texture worked well with the lighter cupcake. The ube cake isn’t overly sweet, which makes it hard to resist eating more than one.
~ churrochi (churro + mochi): pressed flat like a very thin waffle. Chewy sticky mochi inside but outside was crunchy and dusted with churro cinna-​sugar combo and drizzled with a (caramel?) sauce. Wish there was more for $ 3 though…
+ ube monster shake: pretty sweet but ube flavor was good. Loved the crushed Oreos in it. Too sweet for us to finish all of it, esp while eating the cupcake!
+ hibiscus cooler: really refreshing! Floral and slightly sweet that will cool you down on the hottest of days.