Zoës Kitchen to Return to Tuscaloosa As Original Owners Revive Brand

After a three-year hiatus, Zoë's Kitchen is returning to North Tuscaloosa as its original owner works to revive the brand that once boasted more than 300 locations.

Zoës Kitchen was founded in Birmingham and grew into a quick-service contender under the leadership of John Cassimus, whose parents launched the brand in 1995.

He sold the brand to the larger Mediterranean quick-service chain CAVA in 2018, and their corporate leadership ultimately shelved the Zoës brand. Tuscaloosa's last location on Merchant's Walk closed in 2022.

Even as the last stores shut their doors, CAVA granted the Cassimus family permission to resurrect the original brand in 2023.

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Zoës is open again at its long-time home on County Club Park in Mountain Brook and is now set to come soon to Tuscaloosa at the former Local Roots restaurant on McFarland Boulevard in the Galleria of Tuscaloosa.

Local Roots closed this summer after 9 years at the site in north Tuscaloosa. 

A manager at the Jefferson County location said he was not authorized to talk about the expansion into Tuscaloosa.

Signage at the restaurant also indicates the location will house a Marky's Kitchen, a spinoff brand from the same family offering healthy options also inspired by Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. Marky's has also replaced the Local Roots location in Cahaba Heights.

Cassimus could not be reached for comment before the time of this publication.

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