There’s a special place for Pilgrims in the heart of many Sydneysiders who have dined in the popular south coast cafe. Tell anyone you’re going to Milton and they will inevitably say you need to visit the plant-based eatery.

One family with a particularly soft spot for Pilgrims is the Quigleys. They are born and bred in Bronte, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, but for generations have had a house in Mollymook and are long-standing customers of the coastal diner. Now the three siblings, along with their partners, are standing on the other side of the counter, having opened their own Pilgrims in Bronte.

It’s not the first time someone has brought a part of Pilgrims home with them. Since opening in 1980, other Pilgrims cafes have opened in Huskisson, Corrimal and Cronulla, as the name slowly makes its way up the coast.

The menu is very similar to the original, and it’s still completely vegetarian. What’s not the same is the sourdough – it’s sourced from Iggy’s next door. One standout is the haloumi burger with fried onion, tomato, Pilgrims’ greens, hummus and Pilgrims’ chilli jam. The veggie chips with chipotle aioli are another bestseller.

The light and airy fit out was designed by Deb’s interior architecture firm Lane & Grove. The cafe’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and at night it takes a Mexican turn. You can order spinach and ricotta quesadillas sautéed in Mexican spices, and enchiladas served with refried potatoes and brown rice.