Casper’s Newest Cinema Cafe: The Wild Lunch Market

We are calling all our Wyoming foodies to jump back in time and step into the wonderful Wild Lunch Market, our new neighbor in the downtown Casper area. Located at 124 E 2nd Street, this cute cafe is perfectly located amongst our downtown Casper natives, adding a quick pit-stop for your afternoon pick-me-up during your holiday-shopping stroll…

The Wild Lunch Market is a Hollywood classic, to say the least. Their menu items mirror your favorite timeless movies, such as Married to the Mob, Monsters, Inc., and The Terminator. Not only are the names tailored to fans of these classic films, but the backstory for this business owner, Bonnie Curtis-Odell, draws on an admiration for movies, creating her cafe based on her and her father’s love for Hollywood and other Hollywood-inspired cafes and stores from her childhood.

To mention just a few of the delicious items she has created and tailored to her unique vision, here is your sneak peek at The Wild Lunch Market’s menu:

• The When Turkey Met Pesto Sandwich: smoked turkey, muenster, red peppers, dill pickles, romaine, a side of Mustard League Mustard Sauce, and a side of pesto mayonnaise
• The Yell Raiser: a chocolate raspberry jalapeno cake with chocolate frosting and a raspberry glaze
• The Beauty and the Cheese Soup: Saturday beer cheese soup of the day

… and many more! If you want to start early, go ahead and take a look at their menu here. Some of their most popular items we also wanted to mention are the Hazed and Amused hazelnut tarts and the My Big, Fat, Greek Salad.

A Taste of Nostalgia

We have seen and continue to see many incredible businesses in downtown Casper and throughout our state, highlighting the rich histories many of us love remembering and honoring. Whether in food, art, or home decor, touching on these childhood moments is not a lost practice.

Bonnie shared with our downtown Casper team a little insight into where her love for her business first began:

My dad was a huge movie “buff,” and as soon as I was old enough to sit up, he made me his little movie-watching buddy. He passed away ten years ago, and he actually grew up in the town of Hollywood and loved the classic Hollywood delis that were everywhere. So, he raised me on all of his favorite classic deli sandwiches, which stuck with me when I started cooking and contributed to a lot of my recipes. Then, when I was trying to decide if I should make the jump and open my own place, I randomly found an old menu from my dad’s favorite deli when I was going through a box in my attic. I knew instantly exactly what I should do. The menu is now framed on the wall of my shop by the front door.

To say this business is built from the heart is an understatement. We are honored to meet with new business owners who bring their stories from inside and outside of Wyoming to life right before their eyes! While Bonnie did not grow up in Hollywood, she integrated her upbringing in Casper, Wyoming, with her experiences with her dad into The Wild Lunch Market, which ties in our Wyoming community and pieces of pop culture that are universally loved worldwide.

Aside from her love for movies, Bonnie has worked in the Casper service industry since she was 16. She recalled being a front-of-house employee at a local restaurant that experienced a loss in the kitchen and was called back there to pick up the pieces… Ever since that moment, cooking has not only taken away her anxiety, it has inspired her beyond her wildest dreams—perfectly fit for an owner of The Wild Lunch Market.

A Gem Built for the Casper Community

Bonnie has loved her experience thus far as a downtown business owner. She shared with us that her overall goal upon starting her business was to be the place for everyone. Our downtown Casper community is full of different businesses in all industries. There is no “one size fits all” when classifying each of them. However, one thing they all have in common is that their time is valuable. She wanted to create a lunch spot where anyone can find something they love at a great price and in a timely manner. So, if you’re looking for a nice place to sit down with friends and enjoy a delicious meal or a quick stop during your day, The Wild Lunch Market is just for you.

This small business owner has found a way to connect with all her ideal customers and has made incredible connections thus far with the neighboring businesses in her area.

There are some incredibly warm and encouraging people next door. I could not imagine having better neighbors.

As for the upcoming seasons, she is looking forward to another summer filled with new faces visiting Wyoming for its beautiful temperatures and even more incredible scenery, as well as the familiar holiday shoppers that are making their way to the downtown area for the Christmas parade, and all of their holiday needs! Bonnie also looks forward to establishing her roots as a popular lunch spot and eventually opening up with a bigger space, creating a drive-through window for all of the “on-the-goers” that need something quick and delicious, and partnering with other local businesses to keep her fresh grab-and-go items in their stores as well!

As for the Holidays…

With the cool Wyoming temperatures, we may hesitate to go outside and visit our local businesses. Nevertheless, we must support our locals by showing up and supporting their cause!

The Wild Lunch Market will be staying open late with hot cocoa and plenty of fresh cookies for this year’s upcoming Casper Christmas Parade, so be sure to stop in and check out all of their unique delicacies and get familiar with Bonnie, her best friend, and her incredible mom who have been so helpful in creating the owner’s dream business!

Also, in time for the holiday season, Bonnie will be featuring unique grab-and-go items, hot sandwiches, and mac-and-cheese flavors that are cycled out daily and weekly and even hold a little holiday flair as we approach the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.

Check out The Wild Lunch Market online or on social media, follow their page, and stay up to date with them. And if you’re ready to embark on a cinematic culinary journey, visit The Wild Lunch Market and discover the perfect blend of Hollywood nostalgia and Wyoming charm in every bite here in #MyDowntownCasper.