Washington, D.C. — CAVA, a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand, has achieved a significant milestone as it marks the opening of its 500th restaurant. The new restaurant is located in Minneapolis, its first in the state of Minnesota. CAVA is ahead of schedule and poised to surpass its goal of 1,000 restaurants by 2032.
The milestone Minneapolis restaurant opened on Sept. 23. With the new Minnesota location, CAVA now has locations in 30 states and Washington, D.C.
“Reaching 500 restaurants is a defining moment for CAVA and a reflection of how far we’ve come,” says Brett Schulman, co-founder and CEO of CAVA. “It represents the passion of more than 15,000 CAVA team members, the strength of the brand we have built together, and the deep connection our food and hospitality have created with guests across the country.”
As CAVA also marks its 15th anniversary, it continues to build toward at least 1,000 restaurants by 2032. The brand’s development strategy pairs strong restaurant performance with a disciplined approach to entering new markets, building density and investing in the people and infrastructure needed to scale.
“This milestone is the result of years of work building a development engine that can support CAVA’s growth without losing what makes each restaurant special,” says Jeff Gaul, chief development officer of CAVA. “Every opening requires tremendous coordination across teams to identify the right location, design and build the restaurant, and prepare it to become part of a new community. As we look toward our next 500, we’re continuing to strengthen that foundation while staying rooted in the spirit of Mediterranean hospitality — creating restaurants that feel welcoming from day one and are built to serve and connect with their communities for years to come.”
All four of CAVA’s co-founders — Ted Xenohristos, Ike Grigoropoulos, Chef Dimitri Moshovitis and Brett Schulman — gathered at the Minneapolis grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony.
For more information, visit www.cava.com.
SOURCE: CAVA