The Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant chain, Cava, just opened a new location in Tallahassee. This recently-opened “Mediterranean Chipotle” is located across from Whole Foods on Thomasville Road. Cava’s menu includes various bowls and pitas, salads, hummus, tzatziki, iced teas and juices, offering a quick, flavorful, and healthy dining option.
Cava, formerly Cava Mezze Grill, was founded by three second-generation Greek Americans in the Washington D.C. area in 2010. According to one of the founders, Ted Xenohristos, “I wanted to show people the food that was in Greece and how healthy and tasty it could be at the same time.” While the founders are of Greek descent, the company brands itself as “Mediterranean” because its flavors expand to offerings from the Mediterranean shoreline, North Africa, and the Levant region.
Cava opened its new location in Tallahassee on Jan. 23 but has been designated since at least October 2021. Its building, located at 1817 Thomasville Road, was a former Zoe’s Kitchen; Cava bought its competitor, Zoe’s Kitchen, in 2018 and is converting most of them into Cava locations. This transition will significantly expand the business, bringing the number of Cava locations from 66 to over 300 nationwide, including many new locations in Florida.
Part of Cava’s success has been the number of locations it opened in suburban as opposed to urban locations. Other similar casual restaurants, sharing assembly line style ordering quick, customizable, and health-conscious (albeit pricey) lunch options, such as salad chain Sweetgreen, were concentrated in more urban areas to cater to the corporate office population.
These restaurants have unfortunately suffered since the coronavirus pandemic because of emptier downtowns resulting from COVID-19 restrictions and the subsequent rise of remote work. These businesses are now scrambling to move many locations into the suburbs to follow remote workers. Cava, however, had 80 percent of its locations in the suburbs before the pandemic. Cava’s decision to convert countless Zoe’s Kitchen locations will create even more suburban locations, including the one in Tallahassee.
Personally, I’ve tried Cava’s Crispy Falafel Pita and a bowl that I can’t remember the name of at some of their locations in Arizona and Texas. I enjoyed how I could get a quick meal that was flavorful, fresh and filling (alliteration unintended). I’m glad Cava is opening a location in Tallahassee, and I think my first thing to try will be the Harissa Avocado Bowl.
Additionally, if you walk across Miracle Plaza, the shopping center where Cava is located, to Whole Foods, you can buy an assortment of Cava dips and spreads to enjoy at home. Cava sells various products at Whole Foods (depending on the region). For example, in Florida, you can buy traditional hummus, tzatziki and spicy hummus.
This location’s recent opening means that Cava is hiring! If you are looking for a job and have access to a car, Cava Tallahassee is hiring part-time or full-time team members and grill cooks.
I’m excited to have more healthy and flavorful quick food options in Tallahassee. Perhaps in the future, following the business’s success, there could be a location within walking distance from FSU and FAMU students.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest!