Whether you’re in the mood for seafood because it’s Good Friday or you’re just a fan of all things from the deep blue, this edition of Specials Board is here to help you get your fix without blowing the budget. From whole fish specials to lobster rolls and linguine for less, there are deals to be found all over Melbourne right now.

Half-price lobster rolls, all-you-can-eat mussels and chips, and more, Pinchy’s Lobster and Champagne Bar, CBD

This autumn at Pinchy’s, there’s a penny-pinching seafood deal every night of the week. Monday is $30 unlimited mussels with fries, Tuesday is half-price tacos, Wednesday is half-price lobster rolls ($18 instead of the usual $36) and Thursday is $25 lobster linguine. At weekends, get half-price oysters on Friday, half-price surf and turf burgers on Saturday, and save Sunday for half-price fish and chips.

Level 1, 200 Bourke Street, Melbourne, pinchys.co

From $25 bycatch night, Naughtons Hotel, Parkville

On Tuesday nights, top-tier pub Naughtons now champions bycatch: “diverse and delicious” species caught unintentionally during commercial fishing that you don’t usually see on menus. That could mean freshly caught trevally, morwong or jack mackerel charcoal-grilled and served with chips, salad and sauce. Prices start at $25.

43 Royal Parade, Parkville, naughtonshotel.com.au

$40 lunch break, Lucia, South Melbourne

Plush hatted fine diner Lucia has a new lunchtime lure. From Tuesday to Friday (noon to 3pm), three generously sized mains – including the fish of the day with Sicily’s eggplant extravaganza, caponata – are just $40 a pop. That includes a glass of red or white, or a beer.

11 Eastern Road, South Melbourne, luciamelbourne.com

$20 for half-a-dozen oysters and a drink, Fitzroy Town Hall Hotel, Fitzroy

Twenty bucks is all it takes to feel fancy at this classic corner boozer, at least between Wednesday and Friday. From 3pm to 6pm, get six freshly shucked oysters with your drink of choice (a glass of fizz or wine, or a pot of beer).

166 Johnston Street, Fitzroy, fitzroytownhallhotel.com.au

$50 midweek flathead, Old Palm Liquor, Brunswick

Ever had braai, South Africa’s take on barbecue? It’s a drawcard on Tuesday and
Wednesday nights at Old Palm Liquor, when $50 a head (for groups between two and six) gets you a whole grilled flathead with garlic butter, plus pommes frites. Starters, including wood-fired flatbread and toum, are also thrown in.

133B Lygon Street, Brunswick East, oldpalmliquor.com

$2 oysters, Pearl Diver, CBD

Molluscs are the main event at cocktail bar Pearl Diver, which serves some of Australia’s best varieties all kinds of ways (baked with gruyere mornay, anyone?). The best bang for your buck is between 5pm and 7pm from Tuesday to Friday, when oysters are going for the shell-shocking price of $2 each.

56 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, pearldiver.com.au

$70 fish, fried rice and shaved ice at Etta, Brunswick

Yet to visit Etta since powerhouse chef Lorcan Kan took the reins (and retained its hat)? Book for Saturday lunch, a tropical seafood-centric affair, and get three courses inspired by his travels to Malaysia for just $70. There’ll always be some variation on fish and fried rice, finishing with shaved ice to channel ais kacang, a classic Malaysian dessert.

60 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, ettadining.com.au

From $75 midweek dinners, Thai Tide, CBD

City diner Thai Tide serves food and cocktails that traverse Thailand’s many regions. Its new midweek dining series Rising Tides delves even deeper, letting guest chefs take over the kitchen for one night only to present their take on Thai cooking, often with a seafood component. Next up on May 1, chef Sarunya Chanadisronchai presents a menu centred on childhood memories.

171 Bourke Street, Melbourne, thaitide.com.au

$32 reef and beef, Stokehouse Pasta & Bar, St Kilda

What’s your stance on surf and turf? Fans can find it for $32 on Tuesday nights at Stokehouse Pasta & Bar, on the waterfront beneath its sibling fine diner. A charred king prawn comes with steak fired over red gum, as well as hand-cut chips, onion rings and spiced garlic-and-herb butter.

30 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda, stokepastaandbar.com.au

$76 seafood lunch and unlimited drinks, New Quarter, Richmond

The Vietnamese-inspired New Quarter is levelling up long lunches. Its $76-a-head High Tide menu (available Friday to Sunday) begins with a seafood platter of poached Moreton Bay bugs, Pacific oysters with green apple mignonette, and more. There’s also banana-leaf-wrapped snapper, and all-you-can-drink beer, wine and cocktails including pineapple and lychee Bellinis.

79 Swan Street, Richmond, newquarter.com.au

$140 seafood platter, Captain Baxter, St Kilda

This beachside restaurant and bar offers stacked seafood platters with stellar sea views. Available Friday to Sunday, the $140 Captain’s Catch platter for two to four people includes Sydney rock oysters, kingfish and bluefin tuna sashimi, blue swimmer crab and more – all served with citrus and sauces on a bed of ice.

10/10-18 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda, captainbaxter.com.au