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mango coco ube mama

Moira Macainag

What&#x27;s a non-negotiable for your Boracay trip? For some, it’s catching the golden hour at Station One. For others, it’s paraw sailing, a cute photo op on a crystal kayak, or getting beach braids with your whole barkada. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779512911294Thumbnail Boracay Island.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div>But for me? It’s always been the food. I’m the type who plans beach trips around what I want to eat, whether it’s a must-try spot I saw on TikTok or anything that smells good enough to make me stop mid-walk. Not just local restaurants, but whatever catches my eye (or nose). And lately, Boracay has been generous. With so many new food spots popping up between stations, it felt like the perfect time to go on a little taste test. At the top of my list was that dessert I kept seeing all over my feed.You’ve probably seen it too: a coconut shell cradling a scoop of creamy white ice cream, topped with toasted pinipig and drizzled syrup. It’s usually balanced perfectly in someone’s sun-kissed hand and shows up on travel vlogs, food dumps, and those “Boracay recos” posts that always seem to go viral.That, I found out, was Coco Mama. A now-iconic island treat that’s equal parts refreshing, aesthetic, and delicious. But what I didn’t expect was that she wasn’t the only one making waves.She has sisters. Ube Mama and Mango Mama.This is the story of how I met the three Mamas and why you need to meet them too.<div>Coco Mama</div>Let’s start with the classic. Coco Mama is made with dairy-free coconut ice cream that’s vegan and locally sourced, served in a real coconut shell. You can choose coconut, pandan, or both ice cream flavors, served with red rice, pinipig, and fresh coconut meat taken straight from the shell.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779513041856Coco Mama Store.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:513.865px;height:auto" width="513.865"/>Find Coco Mama in Seaworthy (Station 1), D&#x27;Mall (Station 2), Boracay Sands (Station 3) / Photo by the author</div>Coco Mama was the first of the “Mamas” to show up on the island in 2016. It was born out of a clever idea by Nowie Potenciano and his wife, Odette. They are the duo behind other Boracay favorites like The Sunny Side Café, Percy Seafood, and Spicebird. At the time, they had a small space in D’Mall’s palengke area and wanted to offer something that wouldn’t compete with nearby restaurants but would complement them.“What we had in mind was to create a shop that was complementary to the restaurants around the area instead of competing directly with them,” Nowie tells ABS-CBN Lifestyle. “So we thought of creating a refreshing dessert.”<div>With the steady flow of tourists craving something tropical, coconut ice cream made perfect sense.<img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779513508628Coco Mama.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:513.865px;display:block;height:auto" width="513.865"/>Original Coconut and Coco Pandan with Mango Flavor (Price Starts at P190) / Photo by the author </div><div>Ube Mama</div>If Coco Mama is calm and classic, Ube Mama is bold and a little extra in the best way. You can go for the signature ube ice cream or switch it up with their corn maja blanca variant. Both are creamy and nostalgic, and both are vegan-friendly.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779514024975Ube Mama.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:513.865px;display:block;height:auto" width="513.865"/>Ube Mama&#x27;s Mixed Corn Maja Blanca &amp; Ube Flavor (P320) / Photo by the author</div>Each bowl is layered with palitaw balls that feel like soft mochi and more coconut syrup drizzle for that rich, buttery finish. It also comes with crunchy cornflakes on top for added texture. The ube pudding, made in-house and crafted into soft swirls, takes it even further. Visually, she’s a standout. The deep purple hue is pure feed candy.Ube Mama was a pandemic baby. After Coco Mama were relocated within D’Mall, the original Coco Mama stall became available again. Nowie and Odette saw it as the perfect opportunity to try something new. Ube had always been a crowd favorite at their restaurant, The Sunny Side Café.“We’ve long wanted to do a dessert using ube because it’s always popular among tourists at our restaurant,” Nowie says. “So we created Ube Mama and that now occupies the original spot of Coco Mama.”She tastes like a Filipino childhood memory, but elevated. It&#x27;s not as subtle as Coco Mama, and it’s not trying to be. If you’re the type who loves ube halaya, ube ice cream, or anything that makes you say “uy, purple,” this one’s for you.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779514382431_Ube Mama Store.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Ube Mama in D&#x27;Mall (Station 2) / Photo courtesy of Ube Mama</div><div>Mango Mama</div>Then came Mango Mama, the newest of the bunch and the one that surprised me most. Bright, tangy, and unapologetically tropical, she instantly stood out from the lineup.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779514590545_Mango Mama Store.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:513.865px;display:block;height:auto" width="513.865"/>Mango Mama is at Seaworthy (Station 1), D&#x27;Mall (Station 2), Boracay Sands (Station 3) / Photo courtesy of Mango Mama</div>Her version isn’t just about mango sorbet. It starts with a warm bed of sticky rice or kakanin that adds a soft, chewy contrast to the cold scoops on top. You can go all-in with the black rice ice cream, choose the mango sorbet, or enjoy both in one bowl. Both flavors are vegan-friendly, so it’s a treat that works for everyone. Each spoonful is layered with fresh mango chunks, finished with crisp latik and a creamy coconut sauce that brings just the right balance of sweetness and saltiness.Following Ube Mama’s success, the Potencianos felt it was only right to highlight another Filipino favorite: mangoes. “Ube Mama became popular so quickly that we felt it was a no-brainer to create another shop,” Nowie explains. “This time focusing on a fruit every Boracay visitor wants to have, mangoes.”“Since our [Philippine] mangoes are the best in the world, we thought that would be a great addition to coconut ice cream,” he adds. “Finally, we felt that adding heirloom sticky rice from Mt. Province and pinipig from Laguna would add more flavor and texture to it.”Where Coco Mama is comforting and Ube Mama is extra, Mango Mama sits playful. She feels like golden hour in dessert form. The kind of scoop that makes you say “I’ll just try one bite” and then finish the whole thing before your friend even sits down.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779514763223_Mango Mama.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:513.865px;display:block;height:auto" width="513.865"/>Mango Mama&#x27;s Mixed Mango-Coco &amp; Black Rice Flavor (P320) / Photo courtesy of the author</div><div>Why the Mama Name</div>The playful naming wasn’t random.“When we were thinking of the name for Coco Mama, we thought that we needed a brand that was easily pronounced by visitors of various nationalities and with different languages,” Nowie shares. “We also felt that we wanted it to feel very wholesome. And it was only after a few days of thinking of the idea for our dessert that we came up with the name ‘Coco Mama,’ so we had it trademarked right away.”Once the concept took off, using the same “Mama” naming for the other shops made perfect sense. “They all creatively highlight a local ingredient and guests can rest assured they get the same high quality at every shop.”And really, it works. It’s clever branding, yes, but it also gives each concept a soul — something you remember and associate with comfort, flavor, and care. Just like a mama would.The name adds to the experience. It makes the treat feel more personal, and in Boracay, where food spots come and go, that little touch of character makes all the difference.<div>The Verdict</div>If I had to rank them, Mango Mama takes the top spot for me. Coco Mama comes next, then Ube Mama. But honestly, it all comes down to preference. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779515136863_Mango Mama_Studio.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Mango Mama (Photo courtesy of Mango Mama)I can honestly recommend all three Mamas. They’re absolutely worth tasting. Each one showcases a beloved Filipino flavor in a way that feels fun, fresh, and thoughtfully done. <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779515008187_Coco Mama_Studio.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Coco Mama / Photo courtesy of Coco MamaAnd that’s the beauty of the Three Mamas of Boracay. They don’t compete, they coexist. Each one brings a different take on Filipino flavors that feels modern and ridiculously photogenic. </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779515219505_.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Ube Mama (Photo courtesy of Ube Mama)So if ever you have an upcoming Boracay trip, it doesn’t matter if you’re team coconut, team ube, or team mango. </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779515345627Mango, Coco, Ube Mama.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Photos courtesy of Mango, Coco, and Ube Mama, edited by the authorThere’s a Mama waiting for you under the Boracay sun, so come on over and try them yourself.</div>

Boracay’s dessert scene has grown into a trio of crowd favorites. Explore how Coco Mama, Ube Mama, and Mango Mama each put their own spin on well-loved Filipino flavors while becoming some of the island’s most talked-about dessert stops.

Boracay’s dessert scene has grown into a trio of crowd favorites. Explore how Coco Mama, Ube Mama, and Mango Mama each put their own spin on well-loved Filipino flavors while becoming some of the island’s most talked-about dessert stops.

Chasing the last days of summer in Boracay? This is a must

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Chasing the last days of summer in Boracay? This is a must

Moira Macainag

Published May 23, 2026 02:21 PM PHT

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Updated May 23, 2026 02:37 PM PHT

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