CAVA opened last week at 1790 Hilliard Rome Road, marking the brand’s first location in the Columbus area.
The fast-casual chain focuses on Mediterranean-inspired bowls, salads, and pitas, with a build-your-own format that lets you customize everything from your base to your toppings and sauces.
If you’ve never been, the setup is simple.
You move down the line choosing greens or grains, proteins like grilled chicken or lamb meatballs, then load things up with dips, spreads, and toppings like hummus, feta, roasted vegetables, and spicy harissa. Prices typically land in the $10–$15 range, depending on how much you pile on.
The Hilliard location is open daily, with hours running from late morning through the evening, making it an easy option for both lunch and dinner. The space itself follows the brand’s clean, modern style, with a quick-moving line and plenty of seating for dine-in guests.
Early reactions from Columbus diners have been strong, with plenty of social media posts calling it a new go-to for quick, fresh meals.
This won’t be the only CAVA in town for long.
Additional locations are already planned for Polaris, Grove City, and near West Lane Avenue, as the company continues its expansion across Ohio after opening its first statewide location in Cincinnati earlier this year.
The Hilliard restaurant is expected to employ between 25 and 40 people and is also supporting IMPACT Community Action through its opening efforts, helping fund local food access programs.
For now, if you’ve been seeing the name pop up everywhere and wondering what it’s all about, you can finally try it for yourself without leaving Columbus. To check out the menu, or place an order, head over to cava.com.
