NILES — Every evening, the smell of buttered popcorn wafts down the St. Joseph River in Riverfront Park as moviegoers fill up their bags and prepare to see a new film. Some may grab a box of Snow Caps, a tray of nachos or even an ice cold adult beverage.

Soon, the menu will expand even further, offering a new array of snacks and treats for moviegoers and customers simply looking to fill their bellies.

On July 16, Wonderland Cinema will open Wonderland Cinema Café. Formerly the home of Jim’s Smokin’ Café and a sandwich shop operated by the movie theater, Wonderland leaders have been planning the reopening of the space for two months.

“We just wanted to have some different options for the folks that come in,” said Kim LoPresti, general manager at Wonderland. “We eliminated the sandwiches about a year and a half ago, and we have the space sitting here, so we wanted to try something new.”

LoPresti said she is excited for theater patrons to try out the new menu, which has some unique twists. Among a long list of items are mini pizzas, churros, funnel fries and hand-dipped ice cream.

“We’re going to do hotdogs, but they’re going to be more gourmet style hotdogs — like a mac and cheese hotdog with bacon” LoPresti said.

There are six gourmet hotdogs on the menu now, including one with baked beans, cheddar cheese and crispy onions, all designed by Wonderland staff. LoPresti said the hotdog selections could continue to expand, and the café will likely feature new twists in hotdog specials.

The café will also serve gourmet pretzels — stuffed with cream cheese or jalapeno cream cheese — as well as tater tots loaded with a variety of toppings.

“We have one with pulled pork and cheddar cheese,” LoPresti said. “We’re going to try something we tried at a food show. It was peanut butter and jelly on tater tots with little bacon sprinkles. I was afraid to try it, but I tried it and liked it.”

Laura Moore, daughter of owner Carol Moore, assisted with the menu planning. Laura also enjoyed the peanut butter and jelly tots.

“They’re really good,” she said.

Laura was responsible for decorating the new café, which features bright teal walls and cinema-related art. A movie-reel shaped border lines the café counter, with cutouts from popular movies placed behind the reels.

“We just wanted to show off our love of cinema,” Laura said.

Longtime Moore Theater fans will likely enjoy two signs hung adjacent to the café counter, which Laura pulled from the old Ready Theater, also owned by Moore Theatres, on Main Street.

Prices are not yet set for the new dishes, but LoPresti said menu items will be priced affordably, keeping with the reputation Wonderland has for offering fair prices.

LoPresti said the café will likely be open from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and hours may change depending on feedback from customers.

“We want to be able to serve the lunch crowd and the dinner crowd,” LoPresti said. “You can take [the food] in the theater, take it to go, or dine in, too.”