After introducing itself to D.C. and Arlington in July, the food hall and delivery service Wonder is planning to serve up its roster of celebrity chef-driven restaurants to Fairfax County this fall.
Forthcoming locations in Franconia and Reston are on track to open in September and October, respectively, a Wonder spokesperson confirmed to FFXnow.
As previously reported, Wonder is taking over the vacant Genghis Grill (7001F Manchester Blvd) at the Festival at Manchester Lakes in Franconia, and the former Maizal spot (11690 Plaza America Drive) at Plaza America in Reston.
“Plaza America in Reston is conveniently located in the heart of Reston with plenty of free parking available for guests,” the Wonder spokesperson said by email. “The Franconia location is also conveniently located in a shopping center with plenty of free parking; it’s approximately 1 mile from the Franconia-Springfield Metro station.”
Both Fairfax County locations will have more space than their already-open counterparts in D.C. and Rosslyn, measuring over 4,000 square feet versus roughly 3,000 square feet.
As a result, the Reston food hall in particular will accommodate up to 25 restaurants compared to the 21 restaurants offered at the other D.C.-area locations, including in Franconia, the spokesperson says.
The additional restaurants in Reston will include:
- Bankside: Cajun and Caribbean-influenced seafood from New York City-based chef J.J. Johnson
- Jota: Spanish tapas from D.C. chef José Andrés
- Barrio Café: Mexican cuisine from chef Silvana Salcido Esparza, who closed the original restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona last year
- Mr. D’s Fried Chicken: Soul food from Mississippi chef Anthony Davis, whose fried chicken has been lauded as among the best in the country
Other vendors will be the same ones available at other locations, including Bobby Flay Steak, the Mediterranean eateries Chios Taverna and Yasas from Michael Symon, and SriPraPhai, which was deemed the best Thai restaurant in New York City by Eater.
In terms of cuisine, options range from chicken wings and pizza to Italian, Chinese and poke. There’s a Room for Dessert stall that serves a variety of sweets, while Bellies caters exclusively to kids with a menu of mac and cheese, burgers and grilled cheese.
Founded in 2021 by billionaire technology entrepreneur Marc Lore, whose resume includes founding the company behind Diapers.com and the ecommerce firm Jet.com as well as co-owning the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wonder envisions itself as a “super app for mealtime,” enabling customers to order food from dozens of restaurants at the same time.
Funded with $700 million in venture capital, the startup says it can deliver high-quality food in under 30 minutes in part because it controls every step of the process, from the restaurant brands and menus to the delivery service. Wonder acquired Grubhub for $650 million in January, and it also owns the food media company Tastemade and meal kit subscription service Blue Apron.
Now operating more than 50 locations nationwide, Wonder is aiming to nearly double that with 90 sites by the end of 2025.
