The Chipotle of Mediterranean food has come to the St. Louis region.
Cava opened its first area location Friday in Cottleville. The chain serves a Mediterranean-inspired menu of bowls, salads and pitas. Customers can select from a variety of pre-selected combinations or create their own using greens, rice, protein and dips such as hummus and tahini.
Cava sells make-your-own salad bowls and pitas as well as prefabricated creations.
The Cottleville location is at 4765 State Route N and has both eat-in and pick-up dining options. It will be open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and aims to employ up to 40 staffers.
The restaurant is offering free meals Friday to celebrate its opening day and matching customer donations to the St. Louis Area Foodbank up to $1,000 total.
Later this year, St. Louis is slated to get another Cava location. A conditional-use permit was approved for a Cava in Des Peres.
The fast-casual chain got its start in Maryland near Washington, D.C., which now holds the company’s headquarters.
Dining and Cooking