CAVA on Friday opened a new restaurant at 2260 Gunbarrel Road, Suite 207, in Overlook at Hamilton Place.
With Mediterranean-inspired bowls, pitas, dips and dressings, the fast-casual restaurant chain serves food that helps people "eat well and live well." These menu offerings, combined with an emphasis on hospitality and serving others, have created diverse, passionate followers who flock to new restaurant openings, said officials.
“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 Louie Lovejoy, regional director. “We couldn’t be more excited to open another restaurant in Chattanooga.”
Before the doors officially open, every CAVA restaurant invites its 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 $500,000 in donations, mostly targeted at improving food security in local communities. CAVA’s Chattanooga Community Day event raised funds for the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, a Feeding America member organization whose mission is to lead a network of partners and unite the community to eliminate hunger by feeding, nourishing, and empowering those it serves.
Prior to the grand opening, CAVA also partnered with the Salvation Army and Union Gospel Mission to donate fresh meals prepared throughout the restaurant’s training period to local community members. The company's food donation program launched nationally in fall 2023 to improve food insecurity and reduce food waste as CAVA expands to new locations.
CAVA’s new Chattanooga restaurant will employ 30-40 local people. The company hires people for their hospitality and warmth and is dedicated to creating career pathways for its team members. CAVA offers competitive pay and benefits including paid time off, healthcare, early wage access, an Employee Assistance Program, and free mental health support, said CAVA officials.