CAVA, a “fast-casual” restaurant chain that sells Mediterranean-inspired foods, opened a new location in River Forest on Friday.
The new restaurant is in the River Forest Town Center at 7211 Lake St. and is open from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Locals looking to try it can expect bowls, pitas, dips and dressings on the menu.
“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 for CAVA. “We couldn’t be more excited to be in River Forest and expand our presence in the Chicago market.”
The River Forest location will employ 30 to 40 locals, according to a CAVA news release. Hospitality is a priority for hiring at CAVA.
This is the third CAVA location in the greater Chicagoland area, according to the release. Others are in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood and in Vernon Hills.
Before opening Friday, CAVA invited neighbors to try a free meal and accepted donations to a local cause, the Greater Chicago Food Depository. CAVA does this for each new location, according to the release.
CAVA also matches donations up to $1,000. Since 2019, CAVA has raised more than $500,000 in donations for local causes, according to the release, most of which are aimed at “improving food security in local communities.”
The River Forest opening supported the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a local food bank working to end hunger by addressing root causes such as poverty, inequity and racism.
According to the release, before the opening, CAVA also worked with Launch Out Into the Deep to donate meals to locals. The food donation program has been part of CAVA’s work since 2023 to help address food insecurity, the release states.
