Berkeley, California is a city that is known for its foodie scene, art, music stores and, of course, the University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley is also known for being the cradle for the Free Speech Movement that took place during the 1960s. The university city is quickly becoming known for something else… golden brown taiyaki fish cone ice cream.

 

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Graffiti Street Beat – One of Berkeley’s Beautiful Street Art Murals by San Rafael, California Based Artist Dan Fontes

 

Uji Time Dessert is a pop up shop in Berkeley that is sharing space with Vampire Penguin (which is known for its shaved snow and boba teas). While Uji Time Dessert is known for serving up all kinds of Japanese fusion style desserts, matcha soft ice cream, mochi ice cream, etc. it’s Uji Time Dessert’s taiyaki that take the cake.

 

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Smart Cookies – Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches at Uji Time Dessert in Berkeley, California

 

Taiyaki is an omnipresent dessert in Japan. In order to create it, the folks at Uji Time Dessert take pancake or waffle batter and pop it into a fish shaped mold. A sweetened red vanilla azuki bean paste is popped in the bottom of the fish tail and then you get to put your favorite flavor of ice cream on top.

 

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“You’re So Vanilla,” is a Legit Compliment at Uji Time Desserts in Berkeley

 

Throughout the year Uji Time Dessert populates its ice cream menu with seasonal flavors like pumpkin cheesecake mochi ice cream, purple sweet potato ice cream or, in our case, a wonderful lavender flavor.

 

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Good Thymes – A Lavender Flavored Taiyaki at Uji Time Desserts in Berkeley

 

At Uji Time Desserts you can opt for a basic taiyaki cone or a premium cone.

 

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There are No Pour Choices at Uji Time Desserts

 

Uji Time Desserts will also let you do two flavors in one cone.

 

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A Taiyaki Fish Cone Topped with Black Sesame Ice Cream, Chocolate and Matcha Green Tea Flavored Pocky Sticks and Poppy Seeds

 

In the cone above we opted for lavender at the base and topped it wth black sesame flavored ice cream. The lavender ice cream was just sweet enough without going overboard and the black sesame flavor was out of this world too.

 

In addition to Uji Time, here’s a list of other neat little local spots we love across the Bay Area and Silicon Valley.

 

The golden brown taiyaki cone was amazing on its own. If a full fish cone seems too much for you, Uji Time Desserts also sells bite sized mini purple yam taiyaki you can gobble down sans ice cream. Helpful Hint: Uji Time Dessert also has a loyalty program (just ask for a free stamp card). After ten desserts, you get an ice cream cone for free (up to a $2.99 value).

 

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Nothing Smells Fishy Here – Uji Time Desserts in Berkeley, California

 

Uji Time Desserts’ name is based off of a city in Japan. (Uji is a city just outside of Kyoto that is known for its ample and high quality green tea production). A visit to Uji Time Desserts over in Berkeley sure beats a ten plus hour flight to Japan plus you’re guaranteed to end up walking out of Uji Time Desserts with something sweet.

 

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Uji Time Dessert in Berkeley, California

 

Uji Time Dessert
2575 Telegraph Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
*A second Uji Time Dessert location soft launched at 22 Peace Plaza #440 San Francisco, California 94115.
Hours: Monday Through Thursday 3:00pm to 9:00pm, Friday 3:00pm to 10:00pm, Saturday 1:00pm to 11:00pm and Sunday 1:00pm to 9:00pm
Phone: (510) 398-3624
Email: ujitime@gmail.com
Pricing (All in USD): Soft Ice Cream $3.25 (Cup) to $4.25 (Waffle Cone), Waffle Bowls with Two Swirls $5.59, Basic Taiyaki Cone $5.59, Premium Taiyaki Cone $6.59, Parfaits $5.99, Mini Taiyaki $4.69 (Six Pieces) to $6.79 (Nine Pieces), Mochi Ice Cream in 12 Plus Flavors $1.99 (One Piece) to $5.49 (Three Pieces)