Outdoor dining is one of the best things about eating in Texas, and a patio done right lets a restaurant offer both moods — cozy shelter in cool weather, open-air when it warms. These nine made the list on two criteria: highly rated food and an exceptional patio atmosphere. (Rankings noted were current when this was written.)
Perla's Seafood and Oyster Bar — Austin
Excellent seafood cuisine in a casual elegant setting: a cold bar, sandwiches, fresh market catches, and USDA Prime steaks.
Bella on the River — San Antonio River Walk
Mediterranean cooking that earned the Express-News Critics' Choice for Best River Walk Dining in 2012, 2013, and 2016. Chef Sean Fletcher's kitchen values creativity, balance, quality, and value — bruschetta, seafood paella, Italian-inspired pastas — and TripAdvisor ranked it #7 of roughly 4,000 San Antonio restaurants.
Contigo — East Austin
A pub whose menu comes off the ranch: farmer's cheese, quail, ox tongue sliders, and pork liver pâté — a long way from typical pub fare, in the best way.
Joe T. Garcia's — Fort Worth
Operating since 1935 and a James Beard Foundation Award winner, ranked #13 among Fort Worth's 1,300+ restaurants. The famous courtyard garden serves the classics: fajitas, nachos, guacamole.
Banger's Sausage House and Beer Garden — Austin
Homemade sausage, craft beer, and Americana. Ranked #24 of roughly 3,066 Austin restaurants, on the strength of scratch-made everything.
The Guenther House — San Antonio
A Victorian home with outdoor arbor seating, famous for house-made bread and waffles. Lunch runs to champagne chicken enchiladas and pioneer taco salad. Ranked #16 of roughly 4,000 San Antonio restaurants.
Zocca Cuisine D'Italia — San Antonio River Walk
Named for an Italian village known for balsamic vinegar and cheese; traditional pastas and a short pizza list. Ranked #23 in San Antonio.
Boudro's — San Antonio River Walk
A Texas bistro pouring prickly pear margaritas next to tableside guacamole. Executive Chef Robbie Nowlin blends South Texas traditions with finesse from the world's finest restaurants: Gulf Coast sea cakes, gumbo, shrimp and grits, mesquite-grilled quail. Ranked #20 in the city.
Little Rhein Steakhouse — San Antonio River Walk
Fine dining in the historic Otto Bombach House: perfectly prepared certified Angus steaks, an award-winning wine list, and appetizers like lump crab-stuffed avocado.
Texas has no shortage of great patios — and with the right enclosure, every one of them works twelve months a year, whatever the forecast says.
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