Dear Smiles Davis,

A little over 17 years ago, my friends Ike, Dimitri, and I founded a humble, full-service restaurant called CAVA Mezze. We were working near each other—Dimitri as a chef, and Ike and I waiting tables—and we’d meet up after work to talk about opening our own restaurant. As sons of Greek immigrants, we dreamed of a place that connected us to our heritage and how we grew up eating—a place where everything is delicious, every ingredient has an origin story, and everyone is welcome. Five years later, we dreamed of bringing that experience to communities across the country and opened our first CAVA fast casual as you know it today.

Our families celebrated Greek Independence Day last week, and it got us thinking about our early days and how it feels now to see people loving our food and team members taking care of guests the way our families took care of everybody–and anybody–who showed up at the table. 

So, I wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to you for allowing us to share our heritage through our food. When you choose to dine at CAVA, it's not just a meal but an experience where we strive to make you feel nourished, cared for, and at home—our Mediterranean Way.

          Ted Xenohristos

          Chief Concept Officer