Celebrity Donny Pangilinan’s upbringing had a lot to do with it.
At Analog, guests are asked to lock their phones in the vault, albeit temporarily, and be transported to a time when everything was a lot simpler and you get to connect the old-fashioned way; not through a screen but face-to-face. It’s actually a habit that’s not new to him.
Even as a kid, Donny’s parents taught him to live in the moment and not be trapped in a digital bubble. “We only had 30 minutes a day to play,” he recalls. “We even have a rule when we’d eat dinner na bawal mag-cellphone. Dun nag start, sobrang personal sa akin.”
To this day, they religiously practice that rule. “We’ve been doing so many things and being at the dining table is the only time we could really see each other and talk about life. To just connect with each other.” And it’s for this very reason why he, along with good friends James and Chessie Torres who helped put the concept together, and the Forefront Lifestyle Group who partnered with him in bringing the idea to life, built this space.
Analog Transforms: Nostalgic Drinks by Day, Phone-Free Bar by Night
“In a world that seems so connected but actually isn’t, a world where notifications have taken over conversations, I think this is the best time to come up with this kind of concept,” says the entrepreneurial Pangilinan.
By day, it’s a sanctuary for vinyl records, books designed to make you linger longer than you initially intended, and beverages exclusively designed by Pick Up Coffee with flavors that are meant to be discovered once again. (The names of the drinks induce curiosity: Fieldtrip, Dynamite Soda Pop, Brownout, and Orange Switz Mont Blanc.)
Diego Capili, the man behind Big Bark Burgers, gives you even more reason to stay by developing breakfast sandwiches, which you can enjoy at the second floor “apartment” (which becomes a private room at night).
Come 6PM, the lights dip and the nostalgic cocktails designed by award-winning mixologist Leonard Albao start pouring. Along with the chatter (which by the way is encouraged and very much welcome here) comes everybody’s favorite 90’s tunes and a remixed street food menu by Francis Tolentino of Taupe and Cerulean fame.
The team has practically covered all bases. And it almost feels like leaving your phone in the locker is besides the point.
How a TV Stint Inspired Him to Launch Analog
Analog isn’t an anti-technology crusade. Rather, it’s an intentional haven inspired by gatherings where people could actually look each other in the eye and indulge in unmediated experiences. You can enjoy your cocktail without having to wait for a photo-op. And fun moments are stored in the memory bank and not in a camera roll. Its philosophy is pretty straightforward: not every single instance needs to become content.
This reminder is something that Donny wants to perpetuate. And it resonated pretty strongly for him after his two-week stay inside the Pinoy Big Brother house. Immersed in a world that encouraged real-world engagement, he came out of the experience more determined to immortalize a concept that had been brewing in his mind for some time.
October 2024 was when he first mentioned it in passing to Francis Flores of the Forefront Lifestyle Group. June last year was when he called to say that he’s finally ready to push through with the hybrid bar–cafe.
Donny, with the guidance of the Torres couple, built a deck, presented it to the board and the leasing team of Rockwell, and in no time, found himself backed up by a troop that strongly believed in his noble case.
“When he presented the concept, I was really floored. Even the way they wrote it,” says Flores, who saw the future of marketing in his vision. “It’s all about human experiences. Because of AI, people would stay away from anything digital. You’ll see it now globally. Anything human-made will hold more value that anything that’s digital.”
The Gen Z Sees The Appeal And Are Subscribing To It
“I knew there would be people who would enjoy it but I didn’t know they would enjoy it this much. It’s proof that this is what people need today,” says Pangilinan. “I’m glad that they see it as their own space. Not just a place they would go to for a drink. It’s really a place where they could form memories, catch up with people who they haven’t seen for awhile. It’s a safe place, somewhere you can just be yourself without the worry of someone invading your privacy or butting in on your conversation. It’s a shared purpose.”
Even the GenZs, those born into the digital age, are lavishing in the experience. They would stay for long hours and keep coming back after that. “They’re no different from us apparently in that their phone is also a source of anxiety and stress,” says Flores. “To them, it feels like a digital detox and therapy. One of them even said that he slept much better after that.”
If anything, Analog is a living testament to the fact that the best moments don’t need a digital witness, the sweetest conversations don’t need a superficial caption, and the most memorable nights are the ones where we actually get involved in.
Analog is located at the Ground Floor, One Rockwell East Tower, Makati.
Frequently Asked Questions
Analog is a hybrid daytime café and nighttime bar in Rockwell where guests are required to temporarily lock away their phones to encourage face-to-face interaction. It was co-founded by actor-entrepreneur Donny Pangilinan, James and Chessie Torres, and the Forefront Lifestyle Group.
Analog is located at the Ground Floor, One Rockwell East Tower, Makati.
The concept was inspired by Donny Pangilinan’s childhood rules—specifically a strict “no-cellphone” policy during family dinners—and his real-world engagement experiences during a two-week stint inside the Pinoy Big Brother house.
By day, Analog functions as a cozy sanctuary featuring vinyl records, books designed for lingering, exclusive beverages created by Pick Up Coffee, and breakfast sandwiches developed by Diego Capili at the second-floor “apartment”.
Starting at 6PM, the lights dip and the venue transitions into a bar featuring nostalgic cocktails designed by award-winning mixologist Leonard Albao, 90s music, and a remixed street food menu by Francis Tolentino.
Upon visiting, guests are asked to temporarily lock their phones in a vault. This allows them to step away from screens and connect the old-fashioned way through unmediated, face-to-face conversations.
