Whether you are ordering a signature bowl or building your own meal, the calories can change quickly based on your base, protein, dips, toppings, dressing, and drink.
This guide breaks down CAVA calories by menu item and ingredient, explains how to build a lighter or higher-protein meal, and shows how to calculate the calories in a custom order.
Figures below are based on CAVA's published nutrition data. Recipes and menu items can change, so check CAVA's nutrition calculator for your exact order before ordering. You can also calculate your custom total on our interactive CAVA Nutrition Calculator.
A CAVA bowl can range from around 420 to over 1,000 calories. The total depends mainly on base, protein, dips, toppings, dressing, and portion size. Greens and vegetables generally add fewer calories than rice or grain bases. Dips, cheese, avocado, pita crisps, and oil-based dressings increase the total quickly. Because CAVA is fully customizable, there's no single calorie count for a build-your-own bowl — only a range.
| Signature Bowl / Salad | Calorie Count | Key Macro Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Strawberry Steak Salad | 420 cal | Lightest standard bowl; fresh greens & grilled steak |
| Greek Salad Bowl | 580 cal | Fresh greens, feta, olives, and Greek vinaigrette |
| Steak + Harissa Bowl | 620 cal | Grilled steak with spicy harissa and grain base |
| Chicken + Rice Bowl | 700 cal | Balanced classic option (~33g protein) |
| Salmon + Yogurt Dill Bowl | 710 cal | High protein (~35g protein) with cool herbal dressing |
| Spicy Lamb + Avocado Bowl | 800 cal | Braised lamb meatballs with fresh avocado |
| Falafel Crunch Bowl | 860 cal | Plant-based option with falafel and hummus |
| Pomegranate Glazed Salmon | 1,040 cal | Highest-calorie signature item with glazed salmon |
Note: Glazed Salmon also appears in the Salmon + Strawberry Sesame Bowl and Salmon + Yogurt Dill Bowl.
| CAVA Pita Option | Calorie Count | Composition Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plain Pita Flatbread | 230 cal | Sprouted grain flatbread bread only |
| Chicken Shawarma Pita | 640 cal | Chicken shawarma wrapped with dips & veggies |
| Spicy Lamb Meatball Pita | 750 cal | Braised meatballs in warm sprouted pita |
| Greek Chicken Pita | 870 cal | Grilled chicken with feta, tzatziki & veggies |
| Spicy Chicken + Avocado Pita | 970 cal | Hearty hand-held wrap with avocado & harissa |
The plain CAVA pita is bread only — protein, dips, toppings, and dressing add the rest of the total.
*Limited-time side flavors may vary by season and location. Explore all choices on our CAVA Sides Menu Guide.*
Water or an unsweetened drink is the simplest way to keep beverage calories at zero. Check full details on the CAVA Drink Menu Guide.
Ingredient-level data is most useful for custom bowls — add up your individual components instead of estimating off a whole-bowl figure.
Calories alone don't tell the full story — chicken, steak, lamb, salmon, and falafel each carry different fat and carb profiles.
*Stacking two or three spreads adds up faster than most people expect. Learn all 6 spreads in our CAVA Sauces & Dressings Guide.*
Fresh vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, onions) add negligible calories (10-25 kcal). High-fat toppings like avocado (90 kcal), feta cheese (70 kcal), and pita crisps (70 kcal) add up quickly.
Dressing is often the biggest calorie gap between two otherwise similar bowls. Ask for it on the side for more control.
The lightest standard build is greens + grilled steak or chicken + fresh vegetables + tzatziki, landing around 450–500 calories with 25g+ protein.
The heaviest builds combine a grain base with falafel or salmon, Crazy Feta, avocado, pita crisps, and a tahini-based dressing — routinely 1,000–1,300 calories.
Arugula, spinach, romaine, Power Greens, or SuperGreens instead of rice cuts 250–290 calories. Mixing greens with a smaller grain portion also works if you don't want to drop grains entirely.
Grilled chicken and steak deliver strong protein without relying on extra toppings. Falafel still fits a balanced meal, but its calorie and fat content run higher than grilled options.
Pick one or two, not four. Tzatziki costs 30 calories versus 110–150 for tahini-based dressings.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickled vegetables add volume and crunch for 10–25 calories total.
Water or unsweetened tea saves 90–130 calories versus a house juice.
This is an estimate based on the component values above — your actual total can shift with recipe or portion changes.
Grilled chicken, steak, lamb, salmon, and black lentils all contribute meaningful protein. Plant-based options like lentils and falafel can fit a balanced meal too, though their calorie-to-protein ratios differ — lentils give 18g protein for 270 calories, while falafel gives 6g for 350.
For a higher-protein order, start with the protein, then build base, vegetables, and dressing around your calorie budget.
There's no single answer — it depends on the full order. A greens-based bowl with a lean protein and moderate dressing has a very different profile than one built on rice with several dips, cheese, avocado, pita crisps, and a rich dressing. If you're watching calories, sodium, fat, carbs, or protein, judge the complete build rather than any single ingredient.
420 to over 1,000 calories, depending on base, protein, dips, toppings, and dressing.
A greens + grilled chicken + tzatziki + fresh vegetables build runs around 450–500 calories — the lightest standard combination. Custom builds can go lower or higher depending on ingredients chosen.
The Pomegranate Glazed Salmon Bowl, at approximately 1,040 calories. Custom combinations with rice, falafel, Crazy Feta, avocado, and tahini dressing can easily exceed that.
230 calories for the plain flatbread; fully assembled pitas range 640–970 calories.
250 calories for grilled chicken; 260 for Harissa Honey Chicken.
350 calories per serving, with a higher fat content than most grilled proteins.
Yogurt Dill and Greek Vinaigrette, at 60–90 calories — lower than the tahini-based options.
Greens base, grilled chicken or steak, fresh vegetables, tzatziki, and light on extras like cheese, avocado, and pita crisps.
Yes — grilled chicken, steak, lamb, salmon, and black lentils all provide 18–28g of protein per serving.
Use CAVA's official nutrition calculator to confirm exact figures for your specific order, since recipes, portions, and seasonal items can change. CAVA also provides allergen information, noting that shared preparation areas mean it can't guarantee zero cross-contact.
Whether you're aiming for a 450-calorie high-protein bowl or building a hearty grain bowl, CAVA provides the flexibility to match your nutrition goals. Use our interactive CAVA Nutrition Calculator to build your exact meal and track real-time macros before placing your order!
