Boston Approaches Peak Fast-Casual Mediterranean

Boston is about to overflow with even more Mediterranean food. Between local-born fast-casual Greek restaurants like Saloniki and Gre.co and out-of-towners like Verts Mediterranean Grill and The Simple Greek gaining footholds, another new concept is on the way via Washington, D.C.

Cava, like the aforementioned restaurants, specializes in fast-casual Mediterranean food, and an arm of the business involves packaged foods. The company just received $30 million worth of funding that will fuel the chain’s expansion into three new markets, including (you guessed it) Boston. Cava has 27 existing locations and is projected to arrive in Boston in 2018, after adding six new locations in the Greater New York City area this year.

The restaurant serves a customizable menu that starts with a base of salad, grains, pita, or a mix of greens and grains, which can be topped with up to three different spreads, such as eggplant dip or feta mousse. From there, customers can add protein (think falafel, grilled meatballs, or braised lamb) and round out the whole dish with vegetable toppings and dressings. Cava’s packaged products that include dips and spreads such as hummus and tzatziki, which are sold in Whole Foods Markets on the East Coast, in the Midwest, and in Southern California.

Cava first emerged in 2011 and is the work of childhood friends Ted Xenohristos, Ike Grigoropoulos, and executive chef Dimitri Moshovitis, who have built the company along with CEO Brett Schulman.

Cava/Facebook