Need your caffeine fix? This Pinoy-built web app helps you find coffee shops near you
Ever found yourself asking, “Saan tayo magkakape?” only to spend more time searching for a coffee spot than getting there and sipping your drink?
That's what led Mark Aldrin Lastica to create HanapKape, a web-based coffee discovery app designed to help Filipinos find nearby cafés, explore options in real-time, and compare coffee prices—all in one place.
What started as a simple idea has quickly turned into a growing platform for coffee lovers across the Philippines.
From price list to the ultimate café finder
HanapKape wasn’t always meant to be what it is today. Lastica initially imagined a website that would compile coffee prices from different brands nationwide. But without enough reliable sources of data, the idea became difficult to sustain.
“Gusto ko lang sana magkaroon ng website na makuha yung mga lista ng mga kape… kaso naisip ko, it would take time and wala akong mapagkukuhanan ng data masyado,” he told PhilSTAR L!fe.
So instead of building a list of prices, he leaned into location. The goal was simple: to help people discover coffee shops near them, including the ones they didn’t even know existed.
“Every time na lumalabas tayo, minsan nagugulat ka na lang—may coffee shop pala dito,” he said. “Doon ko naisip na gawin siyang by location.”
At its core, the app is built with how Filipinos actually look for coffee in mind: spontaneous, social, and often decided on the spot.
Users can locate nearby cafés from their current location via GPS with distance, estimated travel time, and turn-by-turn navigation; filter shops that are still open; compare prices across hundreds of menu items of famous brands; filter by brand, drink type (hot, iced, non-coffee), and price range; view best-selling items per coffee shop for quick recommendations; and log their favorites. There’s even an option to add custom coffee entries, making the platform more interactive and personal over time.
Challenges and limitations
Behind the scenes, building HanapKape required a mix of modern tools and persistence. Lastica used AI to gather menu data while relying on platforms like mapping systems to verify locations and ensure accuracy.
Still, it’s not perfect—and he acknowledges that. “Hindi ko ma-aassure na lahat ng prices ay exact kasi nagva-vary per branch,” he admitted, adding that the platform is being updated regularly.
Lastica could only turn out grateful for how quickly people would take notice of his project. “Siguro ang expectation ko lang noon, friends and friends of friends lang ang makakakita,” he said. “Pero nagulat na lang ako na shini-share na rin siya ng ibang tao.”
With that growth came a new challenge: handling traffic.
There were moments when the website struggled to keep up, even going into maintenance due to the surge in users. “Nakaka-sad siya kasi may times na hindi ma-handle yung traffic, pero at the same time, natutuwa ako kasi ibig sabihin ginagamit talaga siya.”
“Kapag may nakikita akong support galing sa friends, family, at users, 'yun yung nagiging dahilan para ipagpatuloy ko pa ito,” he continued.
The project also grew with the help of his support system. Lastica regularly consulted with friends for feedback, while collaborators like Allan Baguna and Kimberly Junne Lim helped him navigate key aspects of the project—from securing its own domain to offering insights on the business and marketing side.
HanapKape also taps into something bigger: the growing coffee culture in the Philippines.
“Aside sa users, makakatulong din ito sa mga coffee businesses—lalo na sa small ones kasi puwede nilang i-register mga shops nila,” Lastica said. “Mas makikilala sila.”
For now, HanapKape remains a web-based app, mainly because of the requirements and costs tied to launching on mobile platforms that he can't shoulder just yet. But it's already in the works, along with new features like filters for WiFi availability and pet-friendly spaces.
There are also plans to expand the platform further.
“Pwede siyang maging category-based in the future—hindi lang coffee, but also convenience stores or other places na kailangan ng tao,” he shared. “But for now, focus muna tayo sa kape.”
Check out HanapKape here. Android users can save it on their home screens by opening it via Chrome, tapping the three-dot menu, and clicking "Add to Home Screen." iPhone users can do the same by opening the link on Safari, tapping the Share button, and clicking "Add to Home Screen."
