Zoe’s Kitchen closing Forest Acres location

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Zoe’s Kitchen, a long-time favorite for Mediterranean food lovers in Forest Acres, has announced it will be closing its location at 4855 Forest Drive on Wednesday.

It will be replaced by a Cava restaurant, according to Lynnsey Baker, public information officer for Forest Acres. Baker said Cava has applied for a construction permit from the City of Forest Acres and received approval, but no specific opening date for the new eatery has been set.

Zoe’s opened in Forest Acres in 2012 and has become popular in the area for its wide variety of Mediterranean dishes and signature chicken salad.

Cava Group, based in Washington, D.C., acquired the Texas-based Zoe’s chain in 2018, and has slowly been converting some Zoe’s locations into Cava, according to information on the Zoe’s Kitchen website.

Cava is a fast-casual Mediterranean chain with a menu centered around customizable bowls that start with a base of salad, grains or pita and then allow customers to add layered dips, meats and vegetables. Cava also sells a line of dips and spreads at Whole Foods and other specialty grocery stores.

Zoe’s has three other locations in the Midlands that are remaining open: 5166 Sunset Blvd, Suite A in Lexington; 952 Lake Murray Blvd., Suite Z in Irmo; and 10296 Two Notch Rd., Suite 1 in northeast Columbia.