TEMECULA, CA — South Temecula residents will soon have a new restaurant to call their own. CAVA, a healthy Mediterranean restaurant, will open sometime this year in the Vail Ranch Center, as was recently announced at the annual State of the City event.
CAVA is listed as “coming soon” and is currently under construction at 31709 Temecula Parkway, in the former Pacific Marine Credit Union building next to Taco Bell.
The opening date has not yet been released.
“CAVA is a health-conscious Mediterranean food restaurant where guests can customize their bowls or pitas choosing from a variety of clean label ingredients and proteins, layering as many toppings as they’d like and even adding a refreshing, made in-house drink,” a spokesperson for the city said.
Those drinks include Strawberry Citrus, made in-house with fresh strawberries and lemon juice; Blueberry Lavender, made from a puree of each ingredient; Cucumber Mint Lime; and Classic Lemonade. Other items that will be served include falafel, a variety of meats, and fresh vegetables, including red onion, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and kalamata olives. For side dishes, expect crunch pita chips and a variety of dips, including hummus and feta spreads.
The first CAVA opened in 2010, and the service is “fast casual,” according to a restaurant spokesperson.
Whether CAVA will make use of the drive-thru lane from that former bank is not yet known. Those who know compared it to “Chipotle, but with Greek food.”
Though the Grand Opening date has not yet been announced, one thing is sure among Facebook commenters: residents are ready to line up to try a pita wrap or bowl as soon as the doors open.