Quick overview: CAVA Grill offers complete nutritional transparency with bowls ranging from 300-1,200+ calories depending on your choices. With 6 bases, 6 proteins, 6 dips, 15+ toppings, and 8 dressings, you have full control over your nutrition or else you can use our cava nutritional calculator. The average CAVA bowl contains 500-700 calories, 25-35g protein, and 50-80g carbs making it one of the healthiest fast-casual chains.
💙 What Makes CAVA Different:
- • Full transparency: All nutrition info available online and in-store
- • Build-your-own: Complete control over every ingredient
- • Mediterranean diet: Based on world's healthiest eating pattern
- • Fresh ingredients: Made daily, minimal processing
- • Customizable: Easy to fit any diet (keto, vegan, gluten-free)
Complete CAVA Grill Menu Nutrition
🥬 Bases (15-220 calories)
| Base | Cal | Carbs | Protein | Fat | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romaine | 15 | 3g | 1g | 0g | 2g |
| Arugula | 20 | 3g | 2g | 1g | 1g |
| SuperGreens | 35 | 5g | 3g | 1g | 3g |
| Black Lentils | 180 | 30g | 12g | 1g | 9g |
| Brown Rice | 210 | 44g | 4g | 2g | 2g |
| Saffron Rice | 220 | 46g | 4g | 3g | 1g |
💡 Pro Tip: Choose greens to save 175-185 calories vs rice. Lentils offer the best protein (12g) and fiber (9g) if you want a grain base.
🥩 Proteins (170-350 calories)
| Protein | Cal | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grilled Steak | 170 | 25g | 7g | 0g | 460mg |
| Braised Lamb | 210 | 20g | 14g | 1g | 530mg |
| Spicy Lamb Meatballs | 220 | 16g | 16g | 5g | 620mg |
| Grilled Chicken | 250 | 28g | 11g | 3g | 250mg |
| Harissa Honey Chicken | 260 | 25g | 11g | 8g | 750mg |
| Falafel | 350 | 11g | 20g | 32g | 760mg |
💡 Best for protein: Grilled Chicken (28g protein, 250mg sodium). Avoid if watching sodium: Falafel (760mg) and Harissa Chicken (750mg).
🥣 Dips (30-120 calories)
| Dip | Cal | Fat | Carbs | Protein | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tzatziki | 30 | 2g | 3g | 1g | 30mg |
| Eggplant & Red Pepper | 40 | 2g | 6g | 1g | 135mg |
| Hummus | 50 | 3g | 5g | 2g | 290mg |
| Red Pepper Hummus | 60 | 3g | 7g | 2g | 250mg |
| Harissa | 70 | 6g | 3g | 1g | 330mg |
| Crazy Feta | 70 | 5g | 4g | 3g | 400mg |
💡 Lowest calorie: Tzatziki (30 cal). Most people get 2-3 dips: That's 100-210 calories total.
🥒 Toppings (5-110 calories)
Low (5-20 cal)
- • Tomato/Cucumber: 5 cal
- • Shredded Romaine: 10 cal
- • Pickled Banana Peppers: 20 cal
- • Pickled Onions: 20 cal
Medium (35-50 cal)
- • Roasted Veggies: 35 cal
- • Cabbage Slaw: 35 cal
- • Feta Cheese: 35 cal
- • Fire-Roasted Corn: 45 cal
- • Kalamata Olives: 50 cal
High (70-110 cal)
- • Pita Crisps: 70 cal
- • Avocado: 110 cal
💡 Average: Most people get 4-6 toppings = 100-200 total calories.
🥄 Dressings (30-180 calories)
⚠️ Watch out: 6x difference between lightest and heaviest dressing! Garlic dressing = 6x the calories of Yogurt Dill.
Sample Nutritious CAVA Bowls
💪 High-Protein Power Bowl
The Build:
- • SuperGreens (35 cal, 3g protein)
- • Double Grilled Chicken (500 cal, 56g protein)
- • Tzatziki (30 cal, 1g protein)
- • Tomato/Cucumber (5 cal)
- • Pickled Onions (20 cal)
- • Cabbage (35 cal)
- • Lemon Herb Tahini (70 cal)
Nutrition Breakdown:
- • Calories: 645
- • Protein: 56g (87% DV)
- • Carbs: 35g
- • Fat: 28g
- • Fiber: 8g
- • Sodium: 755mg
Perfect for: Post-workout, muscle building, athletes, anyone needing high protein.
🥗 Light & Fresh Bowl
The Build:
- • SuperGreens (35 cal)
- • Grilled Steak (170 cal, 25g protein)
- • Tzatziki (30 cal)
- • Tomato/Cucumber (5 cal)
- • Cabbage Slaw (35 cal)
- • Pickled Onions (20 cal)
- • Feta (35 cal)
- • Yogurt Dill (30 cal)
Nutrition Breakdown:
- • Calories: 360
- • Protein: 30g
- • Carbs: 23g
- • Fat: 18g
- • Fiber: 7g
- • Sodium: 815mg
Perfect for: Weight loss, light lunch, staying under 400 calories while getting solid protein.
🌊 Balanced Mediterranean Bowl
The Build:
- • SuperGreens (35 cal)
- • Grilled Chicken (250 cal, 28g protein)
- • Hummus (50 cal)
- • Crazy Feta (70 cal)
- • Roasted Veggies (35 cal)
- • Tomato/Cucumber (5 cal)
- • Feta cheese (35 cal)
- • Avocado (110 cal)
- • Lemon Herb Tahini (70 cal)
Nutrition Breakdown:
- • Calories: 580
- • Protein: 31g
- • Carbs: 38g
- • Fat: 35g (healthy fats)
- • Fiber: 12g
- • Sodium: 990mg
Perfect for: Everyday healthy eating, heart health, satisfying meal with great macros.
CAVA Nutrition by Diet Type
🥑 Keto-Friendly
Best Choices:
- • Base: SuperGreens, Romaine, Arugula
- • Protein: Steak, Chicken, Lamb
- • Dips: Any (all under 7g carbs)
- • Toppings: Avocado, Olives, Feta
- • Dressing: Any except sweet ones
Sample Keto Bowl:
SuperGreens + Steak + Avocado + Olives + Garlic Dressing = 460 cal, 5g net carbs
🌱 Vegan Options
Best Choices:
- • Base: Black Lentils (12g protein!)
- • Protein: Falafel (plant-based)
- • Dips: Hummus, Harissa, Eggplant
- • Toppings: All veggies, skip feta/tzatziki
- • Dressing: Most (check Caesar)
Sample Vegan Bowl:
Lentils + Falafel + Hummus + Veggies + Tahini = 650 cal, 25g protein
🧂 Low-Sodium
Best Choices:
- • Base: Any greens (5-15mg)
- • Protein: Grilled Chicken (250mg)
- • Dips: Tzatziki (30mg)
- • Toppings: Fresh veggies (under 40mg)
- • Dressing: Yogurt Dill (160mg)
Sample Low-Sodium Bowl:
SuperGreens + Chicken + Tzatziki + Fresh Veggies = 435mg sodium
🌾 Gluten-Free
Safe Choices:
- • Base: All bases (all GF!)
- • Protein: All grilled meats (not falafel)
- • Dips: All dips
- • Toppings: All except pita crisps
- • Dressing: All except maybe Caesar
⚠️ Avoid:
Falafel (contains wheat), Pita, Pita Crisps. Request new gloves for celiac!
Nutrition Tips for Ordering at CAVA
💡 Smart Ordering Strategies:
Start with Your Goal
Weight loss? Choose greens + lean protein. Bulking? Add rice + double protein. This determines your base strategy.
Prioritize Protein
Aim for 25-35g protein per bowl. Grilled chicken (28g) and double steak (50g) are your best bets for hitting protein goals.
Load Up on Low-Cal Toppings
Tomato, cucumber, cabbage, roasted veggies are all under 40 calories. These add volume and nutrition without calorie overload.
Be Strategic with Dips
Limit to 1-2 dips max. Three dips = 180-210 calories. Choose Tzatziki (30 cal) as one if watching calories.
Watch Your Dressing
6x calorie difference between Yogurt Dill (30 cal) and Garlic Dressing (180 cal). Ask for dressing on the side to control portions.
Don't Double Up on Grains
Rice (210 cal) + Pita (170 cal) = 380 calories from carbs alone. Choose one or the other, not both.
Why CAVA Is One of the Healthiest Chains
✅ What Makes CAVA Stand Out:
- • Mediterranean Diet Foundation: Based on world's healthiest eating pattern (anti-inflammatory, heart-healthy)
- • Fresh Ingredients Daily: No freezers in CAVA kitchens—everything made fresh
- • Complete Control: Build exactly what you want, see all nutrition info
- • Vegetable-Forward: Easy to load up on 5+ servings of veggies in one bowl
- • Quality Proteins: Grilled, not fried (except falafel). Antibiotic-free chicken
- • Healthy Fats: Olive oil, avocado, tahini—focus on good fats
- • Fiber-Rich Options: Black lentils, SuperGreens, whole grains available
- • Lower Sodium than Most Chains: 435-1,200mg vs 1,800-2,500mg at competitors
The Bottom Line
🎯 CAVA Grill Nutrition Summary:
Calorie Range: 300-1,200+ calories depending on choices. Average bowl: 500-700 calories.
Protein Options: 11-56g protein per bowl. Double protein easily hits 50g+ for muscle building.
Customization: Complete control over every ingredient. Works for keto, vegan, gluten-free, low-sodium, high-protein, etc.
Health Factor: One of the healthiest fast-casual chains. Mediterranean diet base, fresh ingredients, vegetable-forward.
🏆 Perfect CAVA Formula:
Greens Base + Grilled Protein + 1-2 Dips + Load Veggies + Smart Dressing = 450-600 calories, 25-35g protein, nutrient-dense meal
💙 Bottom Line:
CAVA's nutrition transparency and customization make it one of the best fast-casual chains for healthy eating. Whether you're counting calories, building muscle, eating keto, or just want a nutritious meal, CAVA gives you the tools and options to build exactly what you need. The key is understanding the nutrition of each component and making strategic choices based on your goals!
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