Houston’s best dining deals occur during the lunch hour, and this week we’ve rounded up a sampling of prix-fixe lunch specials throughout the city. Let’s start with the priciest and work down.

DEL FRISCO’S DOUBLE EAGLE STEAK HOUSE 5061 Westheimer in The Galleria., 713-355-2600

Experience some of the best service in the Galleria area at Del Frisco’s with their three-course business special. Includes soup or salad and your choice of entrée, such as the 6-oz. filet mignon, filet medallions, sautéed salmon or pan-roasted chicken breast. Château potatoes come as an accompaniment, and choose a dessert of cheesecake or chocolate mousse. $27

DA MARCO 1520 Westheimer at Mandell, 713.807.8857

Da Marco offers an exceptional three-course business lunch from 11:30 pm to 2 pm weekdays. The menu changes daily, but recent starter selections include something like corn soup with shrimp and mozzarella or salad of porchetta with cherry tomatoes and arugula. For main courses, patrons can choose from daily specials of pasta, fish or meat. And the entire dessert menu is available, including the lemon pudding cake and famous panna cotta. $25

STRIP HOUSE 1200 McKinney at San Jacinto, 713-659-6000

Downtown? Experience a steakhouse lunch at Strip House with their three-course express lunch: choice of soup or salad; entrees such as 6 oz. filet mignon with black truffle creamed spinach and goose fat potatoes or sautéed salmon with marinated arugula. Dessert is included, too. $24

T’AFIA 3701 Travis at West Alabama, 713-524-6922

Served on Fridays only, T’afia offers a local market three-course lunch menu by chef/owner Monica Pope 11:30 am to 1 pm. The menu changes with the season. (You can sign up on the website to receive advance notice of the weekly menu.) A typical menu includes choice of starter like a celery root potato bisque with garlic chips or beet and orange ceviche with pickled pearls and hearts of palm; second course options like chicken-fried quail or grilled shitakes and agedashi tofu with rice noodles; and third course cheese pairing or butterscotch pudding. $22

BRANCH WATER TAVERN 510 Shepherd south of Washington, 713-863-7777

Just a few cents more than $20 will get you a lovely three-course lunch by executive chef David Grossman. It always includes a soup or salad starter. Their beet salad is one of my favorites to start with, and choices like fishermen’s stew and Reuben sandwich serve as entree options. Grossman’s famous sticky toffee pudding is often offered as a dessert selection. $20.11

HUGO’S 1600 Westheimer at Dunlavy, 713-524-7744

To try chef Hugo Ortega’s award-winning regional Mexican food, stop Monday through Friday for their weekday comida corrida, or business lunch. Diners can choose from a hearty two-course meal that includes starter and entree, or a three-course menu that includes starter, entrée and dessert at this special price during lunchtime. $20

BISTRO ALEX 800 Sam Houston Pkwy North at Town & Country Blvd. in Hotel Sorella, 713-827-3545

The three-course business lunch package changes regularly, but a current summer offering includes roasted tomato and three melon gazpacho, beef prime rib po’boy with horseradish spread, fontina cheese and crispy asparagus with roasted roma tomato jam, and dessert of brandy cherry bread pudding with cinnamon ice cream and whiskey sauce. $20

SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE 4608 Westheimer at Westcreek, 713-961-0333

Another Galleria-area option is the Sullivan’s two-course business lunch prix-fixe, which includes choice of soup or salad and choice of 6 oz. filet mignon, 8 oz. salmon filet or piccata- style roast chicken served with fresh vegetables and horseradish mashed potatoes. $20

THE TASTING ROOM, 818 Town & Country in CityCentre, 281-822-1500

The combo lunch special features a thin-crust pizza and soup or salad for two people. So while this offer comes in at the $20 level, it’s really just $10 each for a party of two. Served 11 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday. $20 for two

SAMBA GRILLE 530 Texas at Bagby in Bayou Place, 713-343-1180

Samba Grille, which recently earned raves for their new menu, offers a $19 three-course prix-fixe. Start with soup or salad, followed by an entree (e.g. grilled chicken breast with papaya relish and black quinoa, jumbo shrimp with coconut grits, sunfish with maracuya beurre blanc or chimichurri flank steak with frites or yucca), and then a dessert like tres leches or apple empanadas. $19

TONY’S 3755 Richmond at Timmons in Greenway Plaza, 713-622-6778

Tony’s famous “Greenway Express” lunch rings in at just $17 for a three-course menu that includes soup or salad, entree and dessert. Offerings may change, but this week include chicken involitini with spinach, sundried tomatoes and fontina cheese or Tony’s cannelloni as entree options. Desserts like the assorted gelato or Elizabeth’s praline cheesecake round off the meal on a sweet note. $17

AZUMA ON THE LAKE 15830 Hwy. 59 at Hwy. 6, 281-313-0518

The executive lunch special at Azuma on the Lake is speedy. Served in 15 minutes or less, the specials change daily but are usually combos that include a soup or salad and either a bento box lunch or sushi combo. $12.95

RATTAN BISTRO 1396 Eldridge Pkwy. at Brimhurst, 281-556-9888

This excellent pan-Asian restaurant on the Energy corridor has a wonderfully priced three-course seasonal lunch special. Typical offerings include Asian mixed salad, Panang pasta, Kobe burger, massaman curry basil beef and the sushi special. Dessert is included, too. $12.50

BEAVER’S 2310 Decatur at Sawyer, 713-864.2328

Beaver’s lunch box special runs from 11 am to 3 pm Tuesday through Friday. Each day, there’s a different entree item to choose from but you can safely bet that you won’t leave hungry. $12

XUCO XICANA 2416 Brazos at Bremond, 713-523-8181

From 11 am to 3 pm Tuesday through Friday, the new El XX (formerly El Patio) under the culinary direction of chef Jonathan Jones, offers three courses, including dessert, with tea or soda. Each day has a special: Tuesday is Taco Truck Tuesday with small tortilla soup, choice of taco, rice and beans, for example, and Fridays are Pescado Frito days with caldo de mariscos, fried Texas Gulf fish, rice and Mexican calabazita stewed with tomatoes. $12

RDG + BAR ANNIE 1800 Post Oak Blvd. south of San Felipe, 713-840-1111

In past months RDG has had a $19 prix fixe, but for the month of July, chef Robert Del Grand is serving up his famous RDG burger and hand-cut fries for just $10. Yes! $10

SKEWERS 3991 Richmond near Weslayan, 713-599-1444

On a diet? The Mediterranean-inspired Lebanese “Brea Diet Menu,” developed in conjunction with local health/fitness gurus Brea Gratia of Sanctuary Spa and James Dang of Washington Gym, is just $9.99 for three courses. With more than a dozen veggie, protein and fruit items to choose from, this low-calorie, no-oil, no-sugar, no-starch menu is healthy and easy on the pocketbook. $9.99

KIKI CAFE 9126 Bellaire Blvd. at Ranchester, 713-772-8883

At this small Taiwanese restaurant, you may have to stand in line to order, but it’s worth it. Self-serve utensils and daily soup or hot and sour soup start off the meal, while 20-plus options like shredded pork with tofu, beef with tomato and several noodle dishes ranging from $5.95-$7.95 are offered up as an entree choice. You also get a large free cup of fragrant iced jasmine green tea, normally priced at $2.50. $7.95 or less

D’AMICO’S ITALIAN MARKET CAFE 5510 Morningside near University, 713-526-3400

All year long, D’Amico’s in Rice Village offers a three-course steam-table weekday lunch from 11 am to 2 pm. Menu items change daily. Pick any three items out of 12 on the daily menu; choices might include lasagna, pasta and cheese, chicken mostarda, snapper with herbs, bean salad, a large meatball or Italian sausage. $7.45

THAI SPICE 8282 Bellaire Blvd. at Mary Bates, 713-777-4888

The cafeteria-style lunch includes your choice of three items with rice and self-serve soup and hot tea. Entree choices at this popular Thai restaurant include house curries, sautéed vegetables and fried selections, and they change daily. $5.50

FUFU CAFE 9889 Bellaire Blvd. #105 near Beltway 8, 713-981-8818

This Chinese restaurant offers hearty food at low prices, and at lunch the prices are even lower yet. Feast on basically full-size portions of everything from beef with broccoli, caramlized catfish, ma po tofu and 20-plus more dishes. Served with steamed rice. $4.95

SHANGHAI RESTAURANT 9116 Bellaire Blvd. at Ranchester, 713-988-7288

Possibly the best value at lunchtime, this wonderful Cantonese restaurant is home to the unbelieveable $4.25 lunch plate. Favorites like sweet and sour pork, beef with broccoli, roast duck and more than 20 items on the menu make this a favorite among Asians in the area for a quick bite to eat. $4.25