Julie Ann Vera | 210Sa Ruta Maya Riverwalk Coffee House offers a selection of 100 percent organic coffee beans produced in Chiapas, Mexico.

If you have to work downtown, finding reasonably priced noontime grub is not always the easiest thing to do. You can go hang out with the tourists at the mall food court, stand in line for the same sandwich you've had every day for the past two weeks, or fork up a lot of dough at the ritzier joints along Houston Street. Fret no more, gentle readers: Ruta Maya Riverwalk Coffeehouse has expanded its lunchtime offerings to include a variety of dishes, including wraps, sandwiches, pasta and even steak, with salads and soups for the lighter eaters.

WHAT: Ruta Maya Riverwalk Coffeehouse

WHERE: 107 E. Martin at Soledad; (210) 223-6292; rutamayariverwalk.com

HOURS: 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 7:30 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturday; closed Sunday

TASTE SENSATION: Ruta Maya serves up fresh, hearty food at pretty reasonable prices. The wrap we tried was chock full of goodies such as ham and big chunks of cheese, and there was enough left over to take for a mid-afternoon snack. The Cuban press sandwich was melty and tasty. And the fried tofu and hummus combo in the veggie club was awesome.

TUMS-WORTHY: The wait can be a little long for lunch, though the results generally are worth it. The food is a good value, though expect to pay Starbucks-like prices for the coffee and tea specialties; but, again, they're just as good and are fair trade organic, imported from Chiapas, Mexico, cooperatives. And you have to get up to serve yourself drink refills (sorry, we're lazy).

THE 210 TAKE: Because it seems not everyone has caught wind yet of the great food service Ruta Maya has to offer, there's still plenty of elbow room (as well as parking) at lunchtime, so enjoy it now before the cat's out of the bag. It's a good place to meet for a business lunch, to linger with friends or to spend some quality time with your laptop. The weekend hours are convenient if you don't want to go to a smoky club, and all ages always are welcome. There are pint specials and music on most nights, too. If you originally were heading to Ruta Maya to stick it to certain coffee megahouses, the food definitely is worth checking out.

Julie Ann Vera | 210SA