Monte Rio Holler: A Slice Worth Waiting For
Wonderland Pizzeria is opening in Monte Rio
Welcome to another Saturday Towns column, bringing you news from broader West County.
For nearly a year, anyone driving along Highway 116 through Monte Rio has been watching the long-vacant space, formerly home to Lucy’s, slowly, steadily come back to life. Fresh paint. New landscaping. The hum of construction. As a close neighbor, I’d been following the progress on Instagram and wondering when I’d finally get to see it up close. A week ago, I did, and the thoughtfulness of what they’ve created caught me off guard.
Wonderland Pizzeria is the work of Brian Perloff and Kellee Kessler, nearby Villa Grande residents, who have dedicated themselves to transforming the space. I have no doubt that when Wonderland opens its doors on May 22, it will quickly become what Monte Rio has been missing: a true gathering place.
I wasn’t the only one curious. During our conversation, neighbors popped their heads in one after another, eager to see what was taking shape.
“This is our extended living room,” Perloff said during a walkthrough of the space. “We want people to feel like they’re home when they walk in.”
That sense of belonging has guided nearly every decision behind the project. Rather than gutting the building, the couple chose to preserve much of its character, what Perloff calls its “funkiness,” while layering in intentional upgrades. The original bar remains, now topped with hand-poured concrete countertops. A salvaged portal window, rescued by Perloff who has spent decades collecting materials too interesting to discard, now peers into the kitchen. Old lanterns will light a ranch-style “Pi” entrance gate (you can’t miss it) built from 80-foot trees milled from a St. Helena winery.
Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Perloff owned a restaurant there early in his career before transitioning into construction, where he went on to build countless restaurants across California. Along the way he promoted concerts, booking acts like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden, which ignited a lifelong passion for live music. Wonderland brings all of it together. Kessler, whose background is in high-level retail finance, has shaped both the concept and pricing, and has worked to make the menu accessible to the community with thoughtfully sourced quality ingredients, without the sticker shock. “She’s the best at finance, and I’m the creative one,” Perloff said. “It works out perfectly.”
A few feet away during our interview, Kessler was in the brand-new kitchen quietly working on her first commercial batch of dough, scaling up the recipe the two have been perfecting at home for over a year. It’s a “poolish-style” dough with a 72-hour ferment, an old-school technique that builds the yeast separately before incorporating it into the mix. The open kitchen is designed so customers can watch that process unfold for themselves.
The menu will be anchored by California-style thin crust and Detroit pan-style pizzas, alongside Philly cheesesteaks, fresh wings, salads, and soft serve. “We’re not doing off-the-shelf sauces or shortcuts,” Perloff said. “It’s all from scratch.” Ten beer taps and three wine-on-tap lines anchor a back bar built from the recycled top of the original Lucy’s bar.
That connection to place runs through every corner of Wonderland. In partnership with the Russian River Historical Society, one wall will serve as a rotating gallery of historic Monte Rio photographs, while another is reserved for rotating work by local artists.
Accordion doors open the back of the building to the outdoors. Heat lamps, ping pong, cornhole, and a fire pit create a patio that feels as welcoming as the dining room. “We don’t want that feeling where you come in, eat, and leave,” Perloff said. “We want people to stay, hang out, have a beer, and spend time together.” Also, Wonderland welcomes dogs, and for a neighbor whose dog goes everywhere she does, that might be the best news of all.
A few days after our interview, Perloff showed up at my door with a pepperoni pizza. The crust was chewy with a crisp edge, the pepperoni curled and lightly charred, and everything from the sauce to the seasoning felt balanced. And that following Wednesday, Brian and Kellee showed up at Monte Rio Theater’s Open Mic night with pizzas in hand, giving the crowd their first taste of what’s coming to the neighborhood. That instinct to show up for neighbors, at your door, at the theater, in the community, tells you everything about the spirit Brian and Kellee are bringing to Wonderland.
The grand opening is set for May 22, with doors opening at 10:30 a.m. and a ribbon cutting at 11 am. Live music from the BoHoss Boogie Boys and a limited opening menu will kick off what many in Monte Rio have been waiting a long time for. Additional live music from local artists is planned throughout opening weekend and beyond. They plan to be open seven days a week, year-round, a commitment they intend to keep.
“This isn’t corporate,” Perloff said. “We’re in it to make something beautiful that Monte Rio deserves. And it’s been a long time coming.”
Wonderland Pizzeria is located at 20391 Hwy 116 in Monte Rio. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook, or reach out at info@wonderlandpizzeria.com for updates.