January may be behind us, but that doesn’t necessarily mean our wallets have recovered from the silly season. Because a good value-for-money meal always has a favourable flavour, we went on a search for great lunch specials in Joburg. From tasty Asian fusion to half-price pizzas, here are five deals to get you through February.

Beluga (Midrand)

When listing marvellous lunch deals, it seems impossible – nay, wrong – not to mention Beluga’s famous half-price special. This offer runs from Monday to Saturday from 12pm to 7pm and all day on Sunday, and gives you the opportunity to tuck into half-price sushi, dim sum and cocktails without offending your bank balance. Think spicy salmon California rolls, prawn tempura hand rolls, duck and ginger pot stickers, and as many frosty mojitos as you can manage.

Beluga. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

Col’Cacchio (Fairland)

On Mondays, Col’Cacchio offers 50% off their pizzas for sit-down customers. The menu features over 50 different pizzas, including the Brie with brie cheese, spring onion and peppadews; Hollywood Scene with bacon, thyme, avo, rosso onion and crispy onion; and the Arrosto with roasted red pepper, Asian deboned pork ribs, rosso onion, smoked paprika and mature cheddar. The offer doesn’t extend to banting pizzas and gluten-free bases, and is valid for sit-down customers only.

Col’Cacchio. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

The Griffin (Illovo)

This trendy gastropub and craft beer bar is dedicated to sourcing the best beer and wine from home and abroad, while offering a menu of fresh, seasonable English gastropub cuisine. From Tuesday to Friday you can enjoy a lunch menu packed with specials, ranging from a lamb tagine wrap filled with couscous, cucumber, semi-dried tomatoes, pistachios, coriander, hummus and tahini (R65); two sliders (chicken, beef, lamb or veg) with crisp potato skins or fresh salad (R50); pan-fried calamari and chips with lemon butter (R60); 200g dry-aged rump steak with peppercorn butter and chips or salad (R70); or a tuna melt with mayonnaise, emmenthal cheese and fresh salad (R50). Each meal is served with a complimentary glass of mineral water. This deal is valid for lunch only.

The Griffin. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

Gwefey Asian Cuisine (Sandton)

Located in upmarket Sandton, Gwefey offers authentic Asian fare in a contemporary setting. Pop in for a quick lunch during the week and you can enjoy a selection of tasty Asian fusion food from their special lunch menu, including black pepper steak with noodles and steamed veggies (R52); peking chicken wraps with Chinese cabbage salad (R39); grilled lemon chicken with steamed rice and veggies (R42); and edamame bok choy salad with crispy noodles (R39). This offer is available from Monday to Friday from 12pm to 3pm only.

Gwefey asian restaurant. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

Q.ba Caffe & Cocktail Lounge (Edenvale)

Monday is a cause for celebration at Q.ba where you can tuck into a selection of signature burgers for discounted prices. Available for both lunch and dinner, these include the Q.ba beef burger (R47); Cajun chicken burger (R50); avo, tomato salsa and Swiss cheese burger (R55); and the chicken, halloumi, avo and sweet chilli burger (R55). All are served with a portion of hot chips.