Fancy a meal out for a fiver? These days, it really can be done.

One of the few positive side effects of this darn recession is that restaurants are working REALLY hard to get your business. Discounted set menus, 2-for-1 deals and free desserts lurk around every corner.

So - dive down the back of the sofa, hunt through your jacket pockets and pounce on those pennies in the street.

For your eating pleasure, I've rounded up five of the top 2-for-1 restaurant deals available now.

1. Strada

Use this voucher to get two main courses for the price of one.

The boring bits:

• The offer is valid all day Sunday-Thursday until March 31st.
• The cheapest main course will be free.
• A maximum of three vouchers can be redeemed per table.
• Not valid in Center Parcs restaurants, Royal Festival Hall or Riverside (More London).

2. Pizza Express

Use this voucher to get two main courses for the price of one.

The boring bits:

• The offer is valid until March 29th, EXCLUDING Saturdays and Mothers' Day.
• The cheapest main course will be free.
• There is no restriction on the number of vouchers that can be used per table.
• You need to produce your voucher when ordering.

3. ASK

Use this voucher to get two main courses for the price of one.

The boring bits:

• The offer is valid Sunday-Thursday until April 9th, EXCLUDING Mothers' Day.
• The cheapest main course will be free.
• A maximum of three vouchers can be redeemed per table.
• You need to produce your voucher when ordering.

4. Zizzi

Use this voucher to get two main courses for the price of one.

The boring bits:

• The offer is valid Sunday-Thursday until April 9th, EXCLUDING Mothers' Day.
• The cheapest main course will be free.
• Dishes from the 'carne and pesce' menu section, and specials, are NOT included.
• There is no restriction on the number of vouchers that can be used per table.

5. Caffe Uno

Use this voucher to get two main courses for the price of one.

The boring bits:

• The offer is valid Sunday-Thursday until March 31st, EXCLUDING Mothers' Day.
• The cheapest main course will be free.
• There is no restriction on the number of vouchers that can be used per table.
• You need to produce your voucher when ordering.

A word of warning...

Just remember - you really do need to read the small print. Individual restaurants at particularly popular locations are sometimes excluded from these sort of deals. The discounts don't apply to set menus, and can't be used alongside any other offers.

Annoyingly, most of these vouchers aren't redeemable on Mothers' Day either - aargh! Homecooked pasta alright, mum?