The Mediterranean Favorite You’ve Been Waiting For is Here: Chicken Shawarma Joins the CAVA Table

September 04, 2025 at 08:00 AM EDT

Celebrating Bold Flavors and Cultural Tradition, CAVA Introduces Chicken Shawarma As Its Newest Protein in Restaurants Nationwide

CAVA, the category-defining Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand, is “shawarming” up its menu by bringing one of the world’s most beloved street foods to its restaurants around the country. Beginning on Monday, September 8 for a limited time, guests can enjoy Chicken Shawarma in chef-curated or build-your-own pitas and bowls.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250904510823/en/

Garlicky Chicken Shawarma Bowl: A street cart-inspired chicken + rice bowl, bursting with bold ingredients. Chicken shawarma is paired with red pepper hummus, Crazy Feta®, corn, tomato + cucumber, pickled onions, fiery broccoli, arugula, saffron basmati rice, and the one-two, flavor-packed punch of skhug + garlic dressing.

Chicken Shawarma is CAVA’s modern take on a Middle Eastern classic: juicy, roasted, all-white meat chicken breasts marinated in a signature spice blend, hand-stacked on a spit, and shaved thin. Shawarma has been a staple across the Mediterranean for generations and naturally fits into CAVA’s menu as its newest protein offering, introducing more guests to the bold flavors and culture of the region.

CAVA’s Chicken Shawarma can be enjoyed in any build-your-own pita or bowl and will be featured in two new chef-curated items:

Garlicky Chicken Shawarma Bowl: A street cart-inspired chicken + rice bowl, bursting with bold ingredients. Chicken shawarma is paired with red pepper hummus, Crazy Feta®, corn, tomato + cucumber, pickled onions, fiery broccoli, arugula, saffron basmati rice, and the one-two, flavor-packed punch of skhug + garlic dressing.
Chicken Shawarma Pita: This classic chicken shawarma is made with hummus, tomato + onion, shredded romaine, DPP (Double Pickle Power) with salt-brined pickles + pickled onions, garlic dressing, and lemon herb tahini.

“Our culinary philosophy is about balancing heritage, vibrant flavors and innovation,” said Ted Xenohristos, Co-founder and Chief Concept Officer at CAVA. “Chicken Shawarma is a delicious Mediterranean staple rooted in tradition, and we’ve crafted it to deliver the bold and delicious flavors that define the CAVA experience.”

To bring the Chicken Shawarma fun directly to fans, CAVA will be serving up mini Chicken Shawarma Pitas in a place shawarma lovers often flock – on the street – by hosting a multi-city Shawarma Food Truck Tour! CAVA fans can join in on the delicious fun in the following places:

Monday, September 8 – New York City
Friday, September 12 – Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, September 17 – Atlanta
Monday, September 22 – Dallas

"We’re excited to bring guests our unique take on Chicken Shawarma, a classic dish from the Levant region of the Mediterranean,” said Brett Schulman, Co-founder and CEO at CAVA. “Introducing this new all-white-meat chicken breast option is a natural addition to our menu. It helps to deliver on our mission to bring heart, health, and humanity to food while staying true to our Mediterranean roots.”

To learn more about CAVA’s Shawarma Truck Tour, follow @CAVA on TikTok, Instagram, and more. And be sure to sign up for the CAVA Rewards program by clicking the “Join CAVA Rewards” link at cava.com or by downloading the CAVA app to stay up to date on any new menu item launches in the future.

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.