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Popular fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava is making its Austin debut on the Drag this month. The Washington, DC-based chain location will open within Urban Outfitters’ Space 24 Twenty at 2420 Guadalupe Street on Tuesday, June 26.
Cava focuses on the build-your-own approach for grain bowls, pitas, and salads. There are mains like falafels, braised lamb, vegetables, and grilled chicken. To spruce the dish up, there are spreads like eggplant, hummus, harissa, and tzatziki, and various toppings spanning vegetables, grains, herbs, and cheese. There are also dips, pita chips and dip, cookies, and soups. For the summer, there will be roasted grape tomatoes, button mushrooms, spicy apricot dressing, and more.
The Austin restaurant is Cava’s first to serve beer. That beverage menu features local drafts, including Austin Beerworks and Thirsty Planet Brewing Company. There are also juices and teas.
The space, which had been home to the Mellow Mushroom pizzeria, includes indoor and patio seating (the latter featuring a colorful mural by artist Will Bryant), and a game room with foosball and table shuffleboard.
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Before the opening date, the Cava Austin will offer free meals to the community while accepting donations for nonprofit Urban Roots. The restaurant will also donate the values of all free meals served to Urban too. That will happen from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then again from 5 to 7 p.m.
The Cava on Guadalupe will be open from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Space 24 Twenty also includes the campus outpost of hot dog spot Frank and Lucky Lab’s coffee brick-and-mortar.
There are three other locations slated for Austin this year, including the Westlake and downtown ones this summer, and the Domain location next year.
Cava opened in Rockville, Maryland in 2011 by co-founders Ted Xenohristos, Ike Grigoropoulos, and executive chef Dimitri Moshovitis.
