Cava, a Mediterranean-style fast casual restaurant known for offering a build-your-own line of fresh grains, salads, meats and vegetables, opens in Lafayette on Friday, March 14 at 10:45 a.m.
The restaurant and drive-thru is located at 4220 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy., Lafayette, in front of At Home and next to a newly constructed Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, which opened in January.
Customers moved quickly through the line during a soft opening event on Thursday that featured the eatery’s customizable concept. Fans of popular lunch spots like Chipotle will be familiar with the system, where you choose your own base (in Cava’s case, a bowl or fluffy pita) and build your meal from there.
The interior of the new CAVA restaurant at 4220 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy., Lafayette, La.
BY JOANNA BROWN | Staff writer
Opting for a mix of greens and brown rice in a bowl (which came with a slice of pita bread) offered a hearty foundation for dips like Cava’s traditional hummus, or snazzier options such as a spicy harissa, a cool tzatziki sauce or “crazy feta,” which comes with jalapeño and onion.
The meats are an unexpected standout at Cava. Who looks for juicy, spicy lamb meatballs at a fast food joint? You can add them to your bowl or pita at Cava, or opt for falafel, roasted veggies, braised lamb, grilled chicken or the flavor bomb that is their harissa honey chicken — a protein choice that brings the perfect amount of heat and sweet to the melded flavors.
Cava is a popular choice for people searching for an on-the-go lunch option, or looking for a place that lets you build a great tasting meal with health and dietary needs in mind.
Their focus on healthy, whole ingredients extend to the beverage station, which features a line of teas and lemonades with flavors like cucumber mint, blueberry lavender and a classic sweet (or unsweet) tea. Their soda fountain is filled with options from the Maine Root brand, which uses organic sugar cane instead of high fructose corn syrup.
Cava acquired another fast casual, health-focused eatery, Zoe’s Kitchen, in 2018. The Lafayette location of Zoe’s Kitchen, which was in River Ranch, closed in November of 2022. As of May 2023, all Zoe’s Kitchens nationwide closed or were converted to Cava restaurants.
There are six other Cava locations in Louisiana — four in Baton Rouge, and two in the greater New Orleans area, in Metairie and Harahan.
Cava Lafayette was built on one of the last open commercial spots near the intersection of Kaliste Saloom Road and Ambassador Caffery Parkway, an area of south Lafayette that has seen explosive growth in recent years with openings like Costco, Top Golf and Dave & Buster’s.