Wonder's Medford grand opening on tap

Ever wonder what it would be like to be able to grab dinner from some of your favorite chefs or restaurants without a lot of travel?

Wonder no more. The innovative new “mealtime platform” Wonder, Medford Food Delivery & Takeout | Wonder, will have its grand opening at 50 Station Landing Thursday, March 5, from 4:30 to 7 p.m.

“We are a one-of-a-kind dining experience, a new kind of take on the restaurant industry,” said Eleise Richards, who is senior government affairs manager for Wonder, during a recent liquor license hearing.

Richards was seeking a one-day liquor license for the grand opening. Wonder’s concept is that it offers a wide variety of dining options from some of the biggest name chefs in the business, such as Bobby Flay, José Andrés, and Marcus Samuelsson, alongside award-winning restaurants like Tejas Barbecue and Di Fara Pizza. And it is all available for dine-in, pickup, or delivery, though Richards said dine-in seating is limited.

“It looks like quite a unique business,” said Liquor License Commission Chair Robert Delafano. 

He asked if the restaurant would contain a different station for each genre of food, but Richards said no. She said all the food is made fresh in the one Wonder kitchen, which she called technologically sophisticated, but ingredients come pre-packaged from a central commissary in New Jersey. 

She also said, “It's a way to make that [food] accessible and convenient for the everyday person, because not everyone has the time to make reservations two months out and spend hundreds of dollars if they want to try a Bobby Flay steak.”

“They must be some pretty good chefs to be able to do that,” Delafano said. 

Delafano also asked if Richards would be back later for a full license to sell beer, but again she said no.

“It is not our intention to sell liquor moving forward,” she said.

Richards said they tried it in other locations and it failed, “so we’re abandoning that strategy.”

There will, however, be samples of beer from Boston based Harpoon Brewery during the grand opening, which will also feature a Wonder-green cannoli from the iconic Mike’s Pastry, live music, and other giveaways.

The event will kick off with a ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m. 

Wonder, which operates restaurants nationwide, is also opening in seven other Boston area locations: Belmont, Burlington, Watertown, Framingham, Natick, Newton and Canton.

“We’re excited to bring Wonder to Massachusetts and to make it easier for people to enjoy high-quality, chef-inspired meals without having to compromise on choice,” said Courtney Lawrie, who is Wonder's senior vice president and general manager of growth. “Boston has long been known as a hub for innovation, and we’re proud to bring a customer-led, innovative mealtime concept to the region, while also investing in the communities we serve through local hiring and partnerships.”