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Gagawa has opened its first U.S. restaurant at Tysons Corner Center, bringing a menu built around more than a dozen chicken dishes to the mall.

The Turkish chain’s grand opening was announced on Instagram on Jan. 22, although the restaurant appears to have quietly begun serving customers in late December. It occupies the former Panera Bread space on the first floor, across from California Pizza Kitchen.

The company launched in 2012 as Tavuk Dünyası, meaning “World of Chicken.” It had more than 275 restaurants in Turkey by its 10th anniversary and now operates over 300 locations worldwide.

Gagawa began its international expansion with a Cyprus restaurant in 2021, followed by a Madrid location in 2022.

“We are very excited to open our first restaurant in the U.S. in Tysons Center,” Chairman Ahmet Faralyalı said when the expansion was announced last spring. He said the company aims to offer high-quality, flavorful and affordable meals in a welcoming setting.

Gagawa’s menu features chicken marinated for 12 to 14 hours in distinctive sauces and spice blends. Diners can choose from 15 preparations, including Ali Nazik chicken with smoked eggplant, Indian-style curry, barbecue and The Dragon, a dish made with hot peppers.

Beef fillets are also available with either teriyaki sauce or a mushroom cream sauce. Each entrée comes with Mediterranean salad or broccoli slaw, plus rice or pasta.

Starters include falafel and crispy chicken bites, while salads and desserts round out the menu.

For its grand opening, Gagawa is offering a $14.95 lunch special that includes a chicken plate, refillable drink and dessert. The deal is available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and is expected to run for about a month.

The opening is part of a broader wave of changes at Tysons Corner Center. Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe, HeyTea and Maggiano’s are scheduled to arrive this year, with Maggiano’s relocating from Tysons Galleria after the Cheesecake Factory made a similar move.

Sunglass Hut has opened a new first-floor location near Macy’s, while Brooks Brothers and Under Armour are moving to other spaces in the mall.

Level 99, an entertainment and dining venue, is expected to open this spring in part of the former Barnes & Noble space in the mall’s east end. Barnes & Noble, which closed last May, plans to return in a smaller location this year.