CAVA’s First Indianapolis Proper Restaurant Opens near IU Indianapolis
CAVA continues its Indiana expansion with a second location and more openings planned this year
WASHINGTON (August 1, 2025) —CAVA (NYSE: CAVA), the category-defining Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand, today opened its second restaurant in Indiana and its first restaurant in Indianapolis proper, located at 801 W 10th Street Indianapolis, IN 46202. CAVA Indiana University (IU) Indianapolis is a 2,250-square-foot location with dining room and patio seating, digital order pick-up and delivery. CAVA opened its first Indiana restaurant in Fishers in March.
CAVA’s mission is to bring heart, health, and humanity to food while honoring its roots with menu options including chef-curated bowls and pitas, iconic pita chips, and refreshing housemade juices. CAVA brings the hospitality and bold flavors of the Mediterranean to every community it serves. Its menu offers guests a true customizable experience, providing over 17 billion possible combinations. CAVA’s unique blend of flavor, culture, and hospitality has struck a chord with guests, giving the brand confidence as it brings that experience to new communities, like Indianapolis.
“Since opening our first Indiana location in Fishers earlier this year, we’ve felt the warm welcome of the Hoosiers community,” said Jeff Gaul, Chief Development Officer at CAVA. “As we continue to grow our presence in the Midwest—with additional CAVA locations throughout Indiana to come in the near future—we’re eager to connect with more members of the community and welcome them to our table to enjoy our Mediterranean cuisine and hospitality.”
Before the doors officially open to any new restaurant, CAVA invites guests in for a complimentary 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 $1 million in donations and food donations, focused on organizations improving food security in local communities. In keeping with this tradition, CAVA’s IU Community Day event was held yesterday, raising funds for Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting hunger.
With a target of at least 1,000 restaurants by 2032, the company is quickly growing its national footprint, with plans to open additional restaurants in Indiana later this year. CAVA opened 58 net new restaurants in the 2024 Fiscal Year and expects at least 17 percent growth in 2025. Last month, CAVA opened its first restaurant in Indiana, bringing the total national footprint to 28 states and the District of Columbia.
Prior to the grand opening, CAVA also donated fresh meals prepared throughout the restaurant’s training period to local community members. The company's food donation program was launched nationally in the fall of 2023 to improve food insecurity and reduce food waste as CAVA expands to new locations.
CAVA’s new IU restaurant will employ 25-40 local people and will be open daily from 10:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. 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, free CAVA meals, an Employee Assistance Program, and free mental health support.
To learn more about CAVA, follow @CAVA on social channels, including TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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.
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