Wonder, a chain of “modern” food halls, is making its anticipated push into central and Southeast Texas. Permits with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation show three locations in the works for Austin and the Greater Houston region.
In Austin, a permit shows another $1 million buildout in the Tech Ridge neighborhood. In Greater Houston, permits show two $1 million buildouts planned in Spring and another in the Lower Heights area.
Details for the projects are as follows:
In Austin, Wonder plans to open at 500 West Canyon Ridge Dr. The permit, filed on May 1, calls for a renovation/alteration of a 3,728-square-foot property. “Scope of work will include full interior build-out, new storefront and signage,” the permit reads. Construction is slated to start on July 14 and finish by Sept. 22.
In Spring, Wonder plans to open at 6625 Spring Stuebner Rd. The permit, filed on May 20, calls for a renovation/alteration of a 3,160-square-foot property. “Scope of work includes full interior build-out, storefront modifications, and signage,” the permit reads. Construction is slated to start on Sept. 7 and finish by Nov. 11.
In Houston, Wonder plans to open at 107 Yale St. The permit, filed on May 22, calls for a renovation/alteration of a 3,628-square-foot property. “Scope of work will include a full interior build-out, exterior movable furnishings, and signage under a separate permit,” the permit reads. Construction is slated to start on Aug. 24 and finish by Nov. 2.
The developer for all three Wonders is MG2, an architecture firm with offices nationwide. As always, completion dates should not be taken as opening dates.
Wonder already has multiple locations planned for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. In a February press release, Wonder North America CEO Tony Hoggett indicated new food halls were also in development for the San Antonio area.
“We’re excited to enter Texas and introduce more people to what makes Wonder unique – chef-crafted menus, unmatched variety, and seamless convenience,” Hoggett said. “Texas’ dynamic food culture, population growth, and suburban footprint align closely with our delivery-first model.”
Wonder is a pseudo-food hall-meets-ghost-kitchen concept that combines multiple restaurants and cuisines in one space. You can dine there, but the real hook is its pickup/delivery model, which allows customers to mix and match different foods in a single order.
“The food comes out together even if one person ordered ramen and another ordered tacos. No driving to multiple spots, no coordinating arrival times, no separate orders,” QSR Pro wrote in March.
Many of the restaurants inside Wonder are celebrity-chef-backed brands, such as Bobby Flay Steak and Streetbird by Marcus Samuelsson. There’s room for local and state regional restaurants, too. Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue in Tomball has already supplied its products to the food hall chain.