Marikina's Resonate Coffee Brings Its Raw and Rugged Charm at New Katipunan Branch
There is beauty in the unfinished.
Resonate Coffee
2F, 318 Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City
Facebook: www.facebook.com/resonate.coffee/
Open from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday to Sunday
“Tapos na ba ‘to?”
It’s a question so commonly heard at Resonate Coffee, the staff might as well have a standard spiel for each time a new customer comes in with a question mark on their head. It started being asked in their Marikina location—an odd question slash observation, really, if you’re familiar with industrial design. But when the owners opened their second branch in Katipunan, Quezon City, the puzzled looks made sense.
This time, Resonate Coffee’s unfinished look wasn’t just a soft suggestion—it was the aesthetic they fully committed to. Think unpainted cement walls, exposed corrugated tubes, and actual buckets of paint casually sitting on shelves. All that’s missing are baristas wearing hard hats instead of knitted beanies, and some radio drama blaring from a speaker instead of indie music playing in the background.
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Resonate Coffee’s Katipunan expansion keeps it raw, rugged, and rebellious
In these interesting times when people value aesthetics more than the quality of the product a shop is peddling, it’s not too far-fetched to think the whole “hardware shop” look of Resonate Coffee was intentional, part of a movement against the polished, hyper-curated design of shops in contemporary café culture. But John Lorenz Santos and Wilbert Morada, the duo behind Resonate Coffee, say it’s not the case at all—it’s all about, well, budget, or the lack thereof.
“Kasi nung nag-start kami, sobrang [limited] budget lang talaga yung hawak namin,” says Morada. “So parang mag-iisip lang kami kung ano yung kaya. Siyempre di naman kami makapag-hire ng talagang kilalang architect or interior designer.”
While cleaning up the Katipunan space of all its rubble pre-opening, the owners suddenly had the idea of completely embracing the gray and rough look reminiscent of hardware stores and construction sites. “Bakit hindi na lang nating gawing hardware store?” Morada recalls asking. Looking back, he and Santos realized their frequent window shopping trips to hardware stores might have served as their unintentional, real-life Pinterest board.
With the help of their architect friend JB Bulan, they brought the "hardware store" slash “under construction” vision to life, using salvaged materials (latak) to complete the look—from paint buckets visible from behind the coffee bar to metal ladders to the wooden tables where construction workers gather during meal breaks.
The workers thought it was a joke when Santos and Morada said the owners wanted to use the rough wooden tables for the coffee shop. He recalls them cussing, “Puta, sir ang pangit nito!.” To which the contractor answered back, “Hindi, okay lang yan, pang-dagdag character!” Eventually, the workers got on board, giving a couple of tables a slight facelift by replacing the top with new plywood and removing any exposed nails. And just like that, Resonate Coffee had two “brand new” tables.
Despite cutting costs and leaning into an unfinished look, Santos and Morada admit they still went over their intended budget. But if there was one thing they saved on, it was time—which is just as precious as money, if you think about it from a business perspective.
Opting for a raw, industrial feel meant they could get their second branch up and running much faster than if they had chosen a more traditional design. And while it may look unfinished, the truth is it was tailored to be that way—or as the boys put it, “pinasadya.”
Resonate Coffee's Katipunan signature sips and eats
Before Resonate Coffee Katipunan started making waves online for its hardware-store aesthetic, their first café was already getting positive buzz for being a Markina gem quietly serving a good cup of joe. The store began simply enough—just two guys, Morada and Santos, who met as baristas in a popular coffee chain, and then later found themselves selling bottled cold brew during the pandemic. Eventually, they turned the side hustle into a full-blown business.
Their coffee pop-ups had evolved into a full-fledged coffee shop by 2020. Resonate Coffee along Bayan-Bayanan Avenue became home to a branch-exclusive Spinach Croissant worth going all the way to the East for. Four years later, they expanded to Katipunan, bringing their signature industrial charm and adding a lineup of drinks and dishes exclusive to the branch.
Take the Lil Coco (P190), a cocktail-inspired beverage turned into a creamy, caffeinated concoction using coconut milk, cane sugar, an espresso shot, and coco sugar. And then there’s Daisies (P200), a sweetened iced black coffee using beans with a more floral profile, mixed with sparkling water, then topped with an edible flower. Santos shares that this is a different take on their Honey Lemon Americano, which is more floral than fruity.
The Katipunan branch also comes up with limited-edition drinks now and then, and during love month, they came out with Delilah (P250), another one of their love letters to black coffee. This is basically a dirty Earl Grey, hitting that harmonious blend of black coffee and earthy-citrusy tea, with a marshmallow popsicle balancing on top of the glass.
Delilah was launched alongside Boshi (P190), a great non-caffeinated beverage option if you want to switch things up—it’s sweet, tart, and refreshing. Boshi has this bright orange and translucent liquid—think the same hue as an Aperol Spritz—made with plums (hence the "Boshi" from umeboshi), cloves, and soda water, served with a Kiamoy lollipop on top. While originally available only for a limited time, both Delilah and Boshi are on Resonate Coffee's Katipunan menu indefinitely.
When it comes to food, the Spicy Peanut Noodles (P220) is Katipunan’s bestseller, much to the founders’ surprise. This hefty dish has flat noodles tossed in a spicy and creamy peanut sauce, sprinkled with sesame seeds for an added layer of nuttiness—because why nut? Morada shares that a close Taiwanese friend would usually make this for his merienda; the recipe was further polished for inclusion in the Katipunan menu.
Another food option is the Reso Clubhouse (P250), which has all the essential (club) members that make a clubhouse sandwich: ham, bacon, cheese, tomato, and lettuce, all in between slices of white bread. Instead of the typical fries or potato chips, the Reso Clubhouse comes with veggie-flavored chips and a tasty chicken liver pate for dipping.
While these mains are satisfying on their own, I suggest tapping into that mythical "dessert stomach" for a slice of Burnt Basque Cheesecake (P300/slice). And I’m just going to go out on a limb and say it—this deserves a spot on those "Top Burnt Basque Cheesecakes" lists. A 10/10 for its creamy, rich, and velvety mouthfeel, plus the optional but highly recommended sprinkle of salt to enhance its custard-like sweetness.
Just like its unfinished look, with its unpainted cement walls and salvaged tables, Resonate Coffee in Katipunan is a work in progress—constantly refining its service, strengthening its team after the surge of online attention, and crafting new, standout drinks for its growing community of fans. And to those still asking if they’re under renovation?
"Renovate? Tapos na 'to eh," quips Morada.
"Okay na siguro 'to," adds Santos .
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