To me, the cheapest lunch is the one you bring from home.

Whether leftovers from dinner or a turkey and cheese sandwich, lunch brought from home is usually less expensive than eating out, and lunches from home usually -- but not always -- have fewer calories and a better fat-carbohydrate-protein profile than food eaten out.

That said, an occasional lunch out is not a bad idea. For keeping up with friends. For a mental-health break from work.

A friend who works in Chester has zeroed in on Chester Bistro as a place to get a good lunch for less than $10.

The restaurant, off Jefferson Davis Highway, has sandwiches, wraps, panini, soups, salads, coffees, teas and smoothies.

I ordered a Falling Creek Hot & Spicy Wrap, a jalape?o cheddar tortilla filled with seasoned chicken breast, black beans, red onions, cheese, and Santa Fe ranch and smoky barbecue sauces. The wrap, $5.99, came with a handful of tortilla chips and a small container of salsa. With a drink, $1.50, and a $1.99 brownie that I did not need, the total with tax was $9.95.

My friend, Linda, a vegetarian, had a spinach wrap with sautéed squash and mushrooms, dressed with a pesto spread instead of mayonnaise. She had a side order of watermelon.

It was a nice day, so Linda wanted to sit on the patio. The owner, Ed Nicholson, obliged and put up an umbrella over one of the tables as it was very sunny out.

Linda and Nicholson have become friends since he donated lunches for a holiday meeting for Medical Reserve Corps volunteers. Linda recruits volunteers for that program, which trains everyday folks to be able to help out in major community emergencies, and she also solicits business support. The Bistro also does catering.

We waited a few minutes for our lunches, but having arrived shortly before noon, we were just ahead of the lunch rush.

The food was good and filling. My wrap had the right amount of spice and heft. I'd definitely go back, if just to try the other wrap I wanted to get -- the Ashton Creek Asian Wrap, a spinach tortilla with seasoned chicken breast, shredded carrots, chow mein noodles, romaine lettuce, water chestnuts, Mandarin oranges and sesame-ginger dressing.

Pluses: Tasty food. Comfortable atmosphere.

Minuses: Depending on where you work, it can be quite a hike.

Working lunch is a weekly review of restaurants serving lunches under $10. The reviews are written by Times-Dispatch staff writers who dine anonymously.