New Mediterranean-Inspired Restaurant Opens In Westport

WESTPORT, CT — CAVA, a Mediterranean-inspired, fast-casual restaurant, opened its second Connecticut eatery this month at 606 Post Road East in Westport.

The restaurant specializes in serving bowls, pitas, dips, and dressings, and the Westport location is one of 45 spots the chain plans to open nationally in 2024. A Greenwich location is the other Connecticut establishment.

"Our mission is to bring heart, health, and humanity to food, and everything we do at CAVA is grounded in that spirit of generosity, to our guests, our team members, and our community," said Christian Starkes, Regional Director, in a statement. "We couldn't be more excited to be in Westport."

Between 30 and 35 people will be employed at the Westport restaurant, and it seeks to hire "people for their hospitality and warmth." The company says it is dedicated to creating career pathways for its team members, and it offers competitive pay and benefits including paid time off, healthcare, early wage access, an Employee Assistance Program, and free mental health support.

From the announcement:

Before the doors officially open, every CAVA restaurant invites their new neighbors to the table for a free meal, accepts donations to support a local cause, and matches those donations up to $1,000. Since 2019, this companywide Community Day program has raised more than $350,000 in donations, mostly targeted at improving food security in local communities. Funds raised during CAVA’s Westport opening will support Food Rescue US – Fairfield County, the local branch of an organization dedicated to eliminating hunger and food waste. Through its proprietary web-based app, volunteers transfer fresh food surpluses from local businesses to social service agencies serving the food insecure.

CAVA also partnered with Food Rescue US – Fairfield County to donate unused food to Westport area community members throughout the restaurant’s pre-opening training period. The company launched its food donation program in October 2023 to improve food insecurity and reduce food waste as CAVA expands to new locations.

About CAVA

CAVA is the category-defining Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand, bringing together healthful food and bold, satisfying flavors at scale. Our brand and our opportunity transcend the Mediterranean category to compete in the large and growing limited-service restaurant sector as well as the health and wellness food category. CAVA serves guests across gender lines, age groups, and income levels and benefits from generational tailwinds created by consumer demand for healthy living and a demographic shift towards greater ethnic diversity. We meet consumers’ desires to engage with convenient, authentic, purpose-driven brands that view food as a source of self-expression. The broad appeal of our food combined with these favorable industry trends drive our vast opportunity for continued growth.