The 8 Best Patios in the Lake Travis Area

Lake Travis restaurants are gearing up for lazy summer afternoons and breezy evenings outdoors where you can fully enjoy your beautiful Texas Hill Country surroundings.

Even if you’ve been living in the Lake Travis area for years, you probably have more outdoor dining options than you realize. If you’re new to Lake Travis, you’re in for a treat. Whether you prefer a lakefront view, a sprawling space, a kid-friendly oasis or a rustic retreat, we’ve gotcha covered.

Here are eight Lake Travis area patio favorites where you can enjoy the sites, sounds and flavors of the Texas Hill Country.

Apis Restaurant & Pizzaria Sorellina

Noted as one of the Top 10 Restaurants in Austin by the Austin American-Statesman, Apis Restaurant and Apiary offers gourmet culinary delights with a relaxed vibe. Featuring locally sourced ingredients — bee hives are located across the garden — every bite sends your taste buds soaring.

Apis took the dining experience one step further by opening Pizzaria Sorellina on the property, a cute, casual counter service restaurant that offers Neapolitan style 12″ pizzas, salads, desserts, beer and wine.

The Apis/Sorellina campus is the best of both worlds — fancy and casual — or, as millennials would say, fasual. If you want a craft cocktail while you’re waiting on a pizza, you can walk over to Apis and sit at the bar or enjoy their quaint patio. In this rustic spot, you have plenty of options and room to roam like the wildflowers.

Patio: Outdoor area at Sorellina with picnic tables and room for kiddos to play; garden and apiary nearby; Apis has covered patio seating for the lucky ones who want to watch the sunset over the hill country.

Angel’s Icehouse

Angel’s is a quirky, fun, laid-back place to enjoy cold beer and some great bites. The indoor bar and dining area opens up to a vast patio with bright red picnic tables, lights strewn in the trees, a playscape for the kiddos and a stage for live music.

Got a hankerin’ for fried pickles and jalapenos? Frito pie? At Angel’s you can satisfy all of your cuisine cravings from tasty appetizers to signature burgers to protein-packed salads and more. They also have a little menu for pets, so feel free to bring your furry family members as long as they’re on a leash.

Patio: A sprawling patio with plenty of seating, reserved mini picnic tables for kids, shady trees and extra room behind the stage area for kiddos to play, larger tables easily accommodate big parties, expect to see lots of dogs, live music Thursday through Sunday.

Sonesta Bee Cave

Located at the Hill Country Galleria, Sonesta Bee Cave has wonderful outdoor seating that wraps around the 6th floor of the hotel. Upstairs you’ll find Meridian 98, a small-plate restaurant with chef-inspired dishes that capture the Texas Hill Country. Once you step outside, you’ll see why this patio is a one-of-a-kind favorite.

Featuring locally sourced farm-to-fork Texas fare, Meridian 98 offers tapas, flatbreads, sliders, shared plates and more. Plus, they have a large selection of wines and beers, as well as craft cocktails. Meridian does UnWine Wednesday every week where you can enjoy live music and food and drink specials. They also have Happy Hour Monday through Thursday from 4pm-7pm.

Patio: Covered patio with upholstered lounge seating and small dining tables, pass-through to bar; terrace wraps around the property and boasts great views of Bee Cave.

Canyon Grille at Rough Hollow

This Lake Travis gem is tucked away in Lakeway in the Rough Hollow development. You may have to endure some winding roads to get there, but once you arrive, it’s definitely worth it. The wine list is extensive and the food is delicious. This is the perfect spot to grab a drink and enjoy a romantic evening or a night out with the family.

Canyon Grille at Rough Hollow has a large dining room with a bar and bar seating, and a wonderful patio that overlooks Lake Travis and the Rough Hollow Marina. There’s also a gorgeous pavilion area with perfectly landscaped grounds and a lovely infinity edge pool.

Patio: Perched high above Lake Travis with plenty of outdoor dining, both covered and open, cozy upholstered sofas with firepits and beautiful sunset views.

Verdes Mexican Parrilla

Many of us who live in Lakeway think of Verdes as a home away from home … especially those of us with kiddos.

Verdes, located off Hamilton Pool Road, boasts one of the largest outdoor covered patios and one of the biggest green fields ever. The first time you see it, you’ll be in awe. And the first time your kids see it, well, they’ll be off and running.

Meanwhile, you can relax on the patio and sip a cocktail or enjoy delicious items from their extensive menu. It’s the perfect spot to relax, unwind and enjoy something Texas is known for — wide open spaces.

Patio: Covered seating on patio for groups large and small; a huge field peppered with footballs and soccer balls where kids can run and play; a big playscape with a climbing wall

Steiner Ranch Steakhouse

If you didn’t think steakhouses were hopping, you obviously haven’t been to Steiner Ranch Steakhouse located in the Steiner Ranch neighborhood.

You can definitely feel the warmth of the Steiner’s interesting family history as soon as you walk through the front door, so you know you’ve arrived somewhere special. In addition to mouth-watering steaks, Steiner Ranch also serves a phenomenal brunch with live music on the Hill Top Stage every Sunday afternoon.

Patio: Enormous outdoor patio with plenty of seating, bar, fire pit, fun live music and an amazing view of Lake Travis sunsets.

Lucy’s on the Lake

This is a great place to bring out-of-town visitors and showcase everything beautiful about living by Lake Travis. The vibe at Lucy’s on the Lake is so dang laid-back and fun, you’ll be as happy as a clam lounging on the patio for hours.

It’s not only about the fried chicken at Lucy’s. They serve salads, fresh vegetable plates, gluten-free options and more. Plus, they have swoon-worthy cocktails and a weekend brunch (10am-3pm) that’ll knock your Southern, scratch-made socks off! Or, uhm, maybe your cowboy boots. Or flip-flops.

Patio: Massive! The improvements Lucy’s made to this outdoor space are exceptional; picnic-style seating for parties large and small, covered (all weather) seating and umbrella shades, large play area for the kids, bar, stage, breathtaking sunset views.

Oasis Texas Brewing Company

And last, but certainly not least, we have Oasis Texas Brewing Company, located right above The Oasis, the Sunset Capital of Texas. If you joined us at past Lake Travis Lifestyle Happy Hours, perhaps we’ve enjoyed a beer together.

You can’t deny the jaw-dropping beauty of the sunset views from this vantage point. With the combination of the view and the brew, it’s no surprise that OTXBC has snagged its place in the heart of savvy beer drinkers.

In addition to award-winning craft beer, OTXBC is now serving food — appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, a kid’s menu and more. If you haven’t stopped by lately, you’re in for a treat.

Patio: You’re practically in the clouds on this patio with a view of Lake Travis for as far as the eye can see; cocktail tables, games and cold craft brew make it the perfect Texas experience.

Central Plaza at Hill Country Galleria

While it’s technically a “lawn,” we wanted to mention the beautiful new Central Plaza at Hill Country Galleria, because it’s really spectacular. Thanks to recent renovations, the HCG amphitheater area is now a lush lawn featuring a huge elevated pavilion, cute outdoor seating and a new splash pad. Patio-ish. Just in time for warm weather!

What’s your favorite patio in the Lake Travis area? Tell us on our Facebook Page.

Editors note: This post has been updated with new information and more Lake Travis patios. The original post was published February 20, 2014.