A new restaurant called Cava is coming to Laguna Niguel, California this coming month and is expected to open its doors for business on Friday, Nov 3.
Cava is centered around Mediterranean cuisine and was founded by Ike Grigoropoulos, Chef Dimitri Moshovitis, and Ted Xenohristos, along with co-founder Brett Schulman, in 2010 to share the food they loved in an accessible fast-casual format. The Mediterranean cuisine was inspired by the founders’ ritualistic Sunday lunches after class with their family; food and hospitality were always coursing through their veins.
According to Cava’s website, “[They] serve delicious, healthy, and affordable meals. Individual customization is core to the Cava experience; from choosing from an abundant spread, with unlimited toppings and free side pitas. Basically, it’s all about complete satisfaction here.”
The menu consists of Mediterranean salad bowls, grain bowls that come with rice, and pita wraps; all of which customers can choose from an array of ingredients to add to their dish making it a unique and fun experience, catered to each person’s liking.
Located in the Aliso Village Center, the restaurant will have 20 indoor and 20 patio seats and will be 2,550 square feet in total.
Building for the new restaurant has been underway since the summer, and hiring for the Cava team is now ongoing as opening day nears.
Cava’s team opens dozens of new restaurants each year and each time they do, they open their doors one day early to feed lunch and dinner to anyone in the community free of charge. This celebration has become a part of Cava’s routine which prompts neighbors and members of the community to come together and enjoy good food with family and friends, feeling welcomed and satisfied.
At Cava, the founders prioritize generosity to their team members and the community and strive to bring the hospitality and warmth of Mediterranean culture to American cuisine.
Cava’s mission includes serving delicious food that helps more people eat well and live well, taking care of people and things that feed us, and using food as a unifier for a more diverse yet inclusive world, where all are welcome.
Cava uses fresh Kalamata olives from the southern Peloponnese region of Greece, and pita made with freshly milled flours and sprouted grains and works with Stavros Manolakos, an olive oil sommelier.
The restaurant offers bold flavor combinations for a wide range of palates; spicy harissa, tender braised lamb, herbaceous skhug, crispy falafel, tzatziki, grilled meatballs and roasted eggplant dip are just a few of the many options available.
Cava is also renowned for their hummus dips, spreads and sauces, which are sold at Whole Foods and other grocery retailers nationwide to be prepared and enjoyed at home.
Delaney Bennett (11) says, “I’m excited for Cava to open soon because it’s really close to my house and I think it’s different from other restaurants in this area. I really like Mediterranean food and I’ve heard the pita chips are really good, even by themselves.”
Cava has mastered the Mediterranean way of life in which good food is at the center of culture and connection and its grand opening is expected to bring many new and diverse faces and much success.
