In an era of large chains and corporations, family-owned businesses are quickly becoming a rarity, and when you find one, you tend to become a regular. This pattern holds for a local Palm Desert breakfast-and-lunch spot, Wonder, owned and operated by Christopher Payne and his family. The restaurateur’s love for his business is infused into every aspect of operation, from the first greeting to the final bite.
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“Our community is fantastic,” Payne says. “Locals have supported us from day one and through the summer period. We’ve come to know so many fantastic and interesting people in the community. The overall support has been awesome for us.”
A little over a year after its grand opening, Wonder is already expanding its space to accommodate up to 50 guests at a time, a testament to the quality of the food and service that Payne and his team provide to patrons. “We recently leased the building next door to expand our dining room for some much needed extra space. Wonder has been so well received,” Payne says.
The restaurant sources its ingredients from local vendors in the greater Palm Desert and Coachella Valley areas. “Our main focus is good quality food,” Payne says.
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Open six days a week and soon to be seven, Wonder serves classic breakfast and lunch items, sometimes using secret family recipes to give its food a competitive edge, like the Chorizo burrito, some fan favorites include Holli’s Hashbrown Casserole, cheesy bacon hashbrown casserole, topped with Guinness-braised beef brisket, and the steak and eggs breakfast sandwich with grilled sirloin steak, cowboy butter, scrambled eggs, Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, arugula and Wonder sauce on a brioche bun.
Whatever you fancy, one thing is sure about the fare at Wonder: it’s homemade with quality ingredients and an abundance of love.
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