Austin patios: Better Half and Hold Out Brewing

Dig in: Better Half, paired with Hold Out Brewing, offers a well-executed, eclectic menu and tasty beer in a quintessential Austin patio setting.

• Nestled among the rapidly changing West Fifth corridor, Better Half almost feels like Old Austin, even though it's only been around for six years.

What to try: Smoked butter chicken crispy rice, $23. It's tangy and spicy. And the cardamom-scented rice is perfectly crisped.

• The cold vermicelli salad with a vegan pineapple "fish" sauce vinaigrette ($16, half for $9) nicely accompanies a sun-dappled evening. We were pining for some fresh herbs, however.
• The cheeseburger ($12) is one of Statesman food critic Matthew Odam's favorites. (Get one for $6 during happy hour, 3-6pm from Tuesday to Friday.)

Don't miss: Cauliflower tots with beet ketchup ($8). Perfectly light and delicately crispy.

🍹 What to drink: Ripcord CGX, an easy-drinking West Coast IPA, $8.

🅿️ Where to park: A large gravel lot is tucked by the railroad tracks behind Better Half and Hold Out on West Fourth Street.

✅ Pro tip: Come back for brunch.

📍 If you go: Better Half, 406 Walsh St.