Wonder 'Fast Fine' Restaurant To Open On Hoboken Waterfront

HOBOKEN, NJ — Wonder, a company founded by former Jet.com CEO Mark Lore to bring chefs on food trucks to neighborhoods around North Jersey, has transitioned into a restaurant and "ghost kitchen" service and has leased 3,700 square feet of space on Hoboken's waterfront, the company announced Monday.

The location will be used as a restaurant, a Wonder spokesman confirmed. It will offer dine-in, pickup, and delivery.

Wonder's "fast fine dining" model involves opening restaurants with menus from chefs like Bobby Flay, Jose Anres, and more, to serve up food for delivery, pickup, and dine-in throughout the area.

"We are excited to become both a lunch and dinner staple within the Hoboken community where residents can enjoy world-class cuisine from chefs such as Bobby Flay, Marc Murphy and Michael Symon, as well as everyday favorites like Fred’s Meat & Bread and Limesalt Mexican, right in their backyard," the company said Monday.

In the past, Wonder has faced criticism from those who worry they will take away business from existing restaurants. Wonder representatives have said they have worked with existing restaurants and strive to be a good neighbor.

Wonder began its food truck service, with chefs on the trucks, in Westfield during the pandemic, but announced in January that it would change its model. READ MORE: Wonder Company To Remove Food Trucks, Add 10 Kitchens In 3 NJ Counties

Below is the press release from SJP Properties and Wonder:

SJP Properties has inked a deal with Wonder, a Marc Lore-founded company redefining the food industry through vertically-integrated, next-generation restaurants, for 3,700 square feet of retail space at Waterfront Corporate Center III, part of a three-building,1.5 million square foot office and retail complex that SJP developed in Hoboken between 2002 and 2014. Signifying its first Gold Coast location, Wonder will open the doors to its newest location later this year.

Wonder is pioneering a new category of “Fast Fine” dining, featuring a collection of restaurants that are all vertically-integrated and owned by Wonder. This includes exclusive menus from world-renowned chefs like Bobby Flay, Marc Murphy, Jose Andres, Marcus Samuelsson and more, along with award-winning restaurants from across the country including Tejas Barbeque, Di Fara Pizza, Barrio Cafe and more, all available via delivery, pickup and dine-in options.

“Nearly every company we work with is focused on providing new, high-end and diverse dining options for their people,” said Alexander Erdos, SVP of Leasing & Marketing at SJP Properties. “Wonder is growing in key markets, and we believe their arrival in Hoboken at Waterfront Corporate Center will be a wonderful amenity, further enhancing the tenant experience and the surrounding community.”

JP Pirraglia of Ripco Real Estate facilitated the lease transaction on behalf of Wonder, while Marta Villa of CBRE represented SJP Properties.

“Hoboken is such a lively, dynamic and diverse city, and we’re excited to be a part of the community,” said Andrew Gasper, Chief Governance Officer at Wonder. “As Wonder continues to expand and open new locations across New Jersey and New York, Hoboken was a natural next step for us. With such close proximity to the river walkway, we expect to see a significant amount of walk-in customers, in addition to the regular cadence of delivery customers we see at our locations in Westfield, New Jersey and the Upper West Side of Manhattan. We are excited to become both a lunch and dinner staple within the Hoboken community where residents can enjoy world-class cuisine from chefs such as Bobby Flay, Marc Murphy and Michael Symon, as well as everyday favorites like Fred’s Meat & Bread and Limesalt Mexican, right in their backyard.”

Situated within the heart of Hoboken’s master-planned, pedestrian-friendly waterfront, Waterfront Corporate Center sits adjacent to the W Hoboken Hotel and is just steps from Hoboken Terminal’s NJ TRANSIT, PATH, NY Waterway Ferry and Light Rail connections for easy access from NJ suburbs and Manhattan. The property also offers immediate access to on-site parking for commuters traveling by car and is just a short drive from both the Holland and Lincoln tunnels.

The complex is currently home to leading corporations such as EY, DraftKings, Newell Brands, Walmart, RMS, and Pearson, and houses an on-site, state-of-the-art fitness center, Crunch Fitness; as well as Del Frisco’s Grille; Wicked Wolf restaurant; The Lola; FedEx; Chase Bank; Cresthill Academy; and Gregory’s Coffee.

Additionally, Waterfront Corporate Center benefits from proximity to downtown Hoboken’s renowned amenities, as well as immediate access to two piers that have been converted into beautiful, water-surrounded recreational parks and a tree-lined boulevard, all of which contribute to Hoboken’s 24/7 lifestyle.