CAVA is the latest brand to join Alliance Town Center as a dining destination.
Coming to Heritage Trace Pkwy, the growing Mediterranean culinary brand that offers a flavorful and healthy fast-casual restaurant experience, is expected to open early 2023. This will be the second Fort Worth location for the brand. The first is open at 5917 Convair Dr, suite 309, in the Waterside shopping center along the Trinity River. That CAVA location opened in 2021, replacing its big sister, Zoës Kitchen.
There’s no bad blood between the brands or anything. Zoës Kitchen has had a good, long run and recognizes that it’s CAVA’s time to shine now. Here’s the quick rundown:
Founded in 1995 by by Zoë and Marcus Cassimus, Zoës Kitchen got its start in Homewood, Alabama, and grew from there to have over 250 locations across the U.S. In 2014, the brand moved its headquarters to Plano, Texas. In 2018, it was acquired by Washington, D.C.-based Cava Group for $300 million. Since then, the group has been transitioning many Zoës Kitchen restaurants into CAVA restaurants. With the infrastructure and Mediterranean concept already in place, this has allowed CAVA to expand rapidly and introduce its “adventurous” personality to a new audience without much difficulty. Not a bad way to go.
“Zoës works, but what we’ve seen is that Cava works even better,” CEO Brett Schulman told The Dallas Morning News.
Founded by Dimitri Moshovitis, Ted Xenohristos and Ike Grigoropoulos – three first-generation Greek Americans – the first CAVA opened in 2011 in Rockville, Maryland. Today, the brand has almost 80 locations on the East Coast, in Southern California, and Texas.
With a heavy focus on fresh, guests can build their own salad, pita, or green and/or grain bowl. There’s also an option to build a bowl made with RightRice – a high protein and high fiber grain made from 90% vegetables such as lentils and chickpeas.
After choosing a base, you add your protein. There’s falafel, spicy lamb meatballs, grilled chicken, and roasted white sweet potato. Toppings include pickled onions, cabbage slaw, avocado, Kalamata olives, corn and pita crisps. A variety of dressings, dips and spreads – many of which are also sold in Whole Foods Market locations and specialty grocery stores across the U.S. – are also available.
