THE PILGRIM'S GROOVE

Ask any Davao local about their food scene and they'll proudly lead you to the Truffle Mushroom Gnocchi and the Budino Tiramisu at PILGRIM Restaurant.

- PATRICIA VILLORIA

ON SLOW DAYS, PILGRIM PLAYS A MIX OF SOUL, FUNK, AND A BIT OF JAZZ THROUGH THE SPEAKERS. In the open kitchen, the laidback twang of Vulfpeck’s strings serves as a conductor for the hot plates sailing out into the dining area. Saturday is one of these slow days by the restaurant’s standards: tables become vacant in the restaurant at times—but not for too long.

Pilgrim has become a breakout star in the community of Buda (the border of Bukidnon and Davao) for the past two years. For good comfort food, anyone will point you to their truffle gnocchi and budino tiramisu, dishes born out of executive chef Jeramie Go’s time working for various restaurants in Toronto. Inspired by a city where different cultures converge, he crafted a mixed menu of Mediterranean, Greek, and Italian dishes using produce from the local market and farms.

Jeramie admits that opening this type of restaurant wasn’t easy at first. On his family’s homecoming in 2021, these foreign flavors were new to the locale. They took the risk of introducing the community’s palate to this type of cuisine while also teaching an inexperienced staff to cook flavors that were out of their comfort zone. Most of their employees are locals and Indigenous People who did not have restaurant or hospitality industry experience at all, but he’s taught them skills that he hopes they can take into the future even if they move on from Pilgrim.