Welcome back to On The Menu, a feature series on Sprudge dedicated to the wonderful world of signature cafe drinks. Today we’re exploring a very delicious (and beautiful) drink at Brewpoint Coffee, a growing group of cafes in the suburbs west of Chicago, Illinois. Founder Melissa Villanueva came to coffee through an unusual route back in 2013: she was merely looking for a used espresso machine on Craigslist! Jump to today and Villanueva runs four cafes, a roastery, and is the author of Starting and Running a Coffee Shop, published in 2019. Along the way the work of running Breakpoint has taken on deep meaning in her life: “Brewpoint is not just a business,” she writes, “it has become our platform and ecosystem to build the world we want to see.”
We sat down digitally with Melissa Villanueva to learn more about a very special signature drink currently on her menu, one that highlights Filipino culture while offering a beautiful—and delicious—coffee drinking experience.
As told to Sprudge by Melissa Villanueva.
Who crafted your signature drink?
It’s actually hard for me to say, as it is several years ago that we were deciding between Taro or Ube lattes. We had originally started with the Taro latte years before, but switched to the Ube latte. Though very similar, the Ube latte has a deeper purple color and a richer flavor so we decide to switch to Ube!
What makes this drink special?
I love that we can highlight Filipino culture through a unique and popular drink like the Ube latte. It truly is a crowd favorite and a great option when getting outside of your flavor comfort zone!
Your Ube Latte is served both hot and iced. What do you prefer?
I prefer the ube latte iced with oat milk. The layering on the drink when iced is perfection.
Where is it available?
It is available at all Brewpoint cafes except for our library location.
How much is it?
Between $4.75-$5.75.
How long will it be on the menu?
It will be on our menu until the end of summer 2023, but we definitely have this as a recurring summer drink!
Thank you!
Photos by Tanase Photography courtesy of Brewpoint.
