1. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen & Bar
129 E St.

2. Tie: Fraternity and sorority events
Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

3. de Vere’s Irish Pub
217 E. St

With its variety of drinks and numerous live bands, Sophia’s Thai Kitchen & Bar has been named the best place for entertainment, especially after an exhausting week of classes.

The restaurant has an adjacent bar and stage connected so its customers can have a chance to relax with their drinks and enjoy the occasional live band.

But, no need to pout for those who haven’t reached 21 yet. They can enjoy a cup of Sophia’s Thai Iced Tea, which has gathered a lot of praise from its customers for its creamy texture and free refills.

Sophia’s is also one of the region’s top indie music venues. Singer-songwriters such as Sean Hayes and Tyler Ramsey of Band of Horses have been one of the many acts that have graced Sophia’s stage throughout the years.

“It has a lively atmosphere. A lot of Davis students go there. Sophia’s attracts a good mix of college students,” said Daniel Quiroz, a senior political science major.

Kevin Yeung, a junior biological sciences major also agreed that many Davis students enjoy going to Sophia’s.

“The people there generate a lively experience,” Yeung said.

Fraternity and sorority events tied with the Mondavi Center for second place on this year’s list for evening entertainment. De Vere’s Irish Pub, with its popular trivia night, came in third.

— Michelle Ruan

1.   Downtown Davis
2.   UC Davis Arboretum
3.   Davis Farmers Market

What do movie theaters, restaurants and concerts all have in common? Not only are they all similar date spots, but they can all be found in downtown Davis, voted as the best place to take a date.

Michael Bisch, the co-president of the Downtown Davis Board of Directors said that this amalgamation of places to go make it ideal for a date.

“It’s got a wide variety of things to do within a very small geographic area, so one can bring a date down and then go to a movie, get something to eat, go hang out or check out a live performance someplace,” Bisch said. “So, instead of getting in a car and driving all over to do a variety of things in a date, you can do it all in one place in downtown.”

Not only is it all one place, but it is one convenient place, near enough to campus so that students living anywhere in town can find transportation suitable to get downtown.

Along with accessibility and convenience, downtown Davis businesses generally cater to the student population.

“A lot of the eateries and bars are geared specifically [toward] the students. I think that’s a big factor,” Bisch said.

Downtown Davis also has a number of events that entice people to bring a date and enjoy the afternoon or evening. Some of the festivities that keep downtown Davis bustling include art galleries, live performances and fundraisers.

The vision of downtown Davis is to have activities running every day, drawing in locals and visitors for food, retail and entertainment. This leads to a variety of opportunities for different dates.

“It could be really romantic if you do it right,” said junior economics major Alex Cardenas.

However, if you or your date is looking for a place that is a bit less buzzing with activity, in second place, the UC Davis Arboretum is a romantic spot to get a little more personal. The Davis Farmers Market was voted the third best place to take a date.

— Devon Bohart

1. Burgers and Brew
403 Third St.

2. In-N-Out
1020 Olive Drive

3. Tommy J’s
726 Second St.

It can hardly come as a surprise to the Davis community that Burgers and Brew is being recognized for its unparalleled savory excellence for the fourth year in a row.

“It feels great every single time,” said Burgers and Brew manager Reilly Bennett, of the restaurant’s continued success. “I think people enjoy having a place to sit down and enjoy great food and drink without having to wait in line, be cramped and have to listen to ear-splitting music like you would have to at a bar. Because of this, in addition to our location and hours, we’ve got a really fun atmosphere.”

Burgers and Brew, which opened in 2007, offers an extensive menu of burgers, including the spicy guacamole cheeseburger and the bacon and jalapeño burger, which Bennett says are favorites. However, the more adventurous diners can satisfy a carnivorous appetite with the buffalo burger or lamb burger.

“Our lamb burger might scare some people, but it’s not your grandma’s lamb,” said Bennett. “It comes with our mint yogurt sauce, which seems off the beaten track, but once people try it, they love it.”

To accompany their burgers, Burgers and Brew serves 28 beers on draft and countless bottled options. Starting this past December, they started brewing their own imperial brown-ale, Rapture, which was sold out within the first few weeks.

“When it’s available again, we will have it available for $2 a pint during happy hour,” Bennett said.

Famished burger-cravers can also fill up at second-place winner In-N-Out or at third-place winner Tommy J’s, located during the day inside Froggy’s Bar and Grill.

— Lani Chan

1. Trader Joe’s
885 Russell Blvd.

2. Nugget Market
1414 East Covell Blvd. and 409 Mace Blvd.

3. Davis Food Co-op
620 G St.

Although it only opened a year ago, Trader Joe’s has become Davis’ favorite grocery store, voted Best Grocery Store by California Aggie readers.

“I really like shopping at Trader Joe’s because they have so many different things. They have a bunch of prepackaged frozen food that comes in really useful, especially during those stressful finals weeks. It’s a cheap and easy way to eat healthy,” said Preethi Rajendran, a sophomore psychology major and an avid shopper at Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe’s is conveniently located in the University Mall, so it is easily accessible for students living in the dorms as well as those living off campus. Organic food is readily available at Trader Joe’s; everything from milk, vegetables and fruits to cheese, pasta and cereal can be found in organic varieties. Also, many customers enjoy the free samples that are offered daily and often inspire new meal and cooking ideas.

Nugget Market came in second. There are two locations in Davis. It offers a variety of cost-effective gourmet food and a deli where they sell many types of sandwiches, even gluten-free options.

The Davis Food Co-op, which carries both natural/health foods and normal supermarket items ranked third. It’s known for having things that no other stores in Davis carry, including ingredients for many types of ethnic cooking.

— Paayal Zaveri

1. The Quad

2. ASUCD Coffee House
Memorial Union

3. Davis Farmers Market

People-watching is one of the cheapest and easiest pastimes — all you need is a functional set of eyes, a healthy imagination and ample fodder for speculation. As a focal point for campus activities, this makes the Quad a prime location for such an activity.

Even early in campus history, the Quad has been a central feature because of its proximity to the Memorial Union since 1970, the original dormitories and Dutton Hall, said senior anthropology major Lawrence Nguyen.

In conjunction with its historical centrality, the Quad often hosts throngs of people in and out of the context of organized gatherings.

“The Quad is a good place because it’s really diverse. There are all sorts of people who go there for food and coffee, and there are always active social events there,” said senior psychology major Morgan Blackburn.

Whether you wish to observe the everyday student, or if you’re pursuing a more unique category of subjects, the Quad houses them all. If you’re looking for the political minded, it has served as grounds for the Occupy movement. If you’re looking for the free-spirited, Whole Earth Festival takes place there in the spring.

Due to the sheer volume of people who route themselves through the Quad, for one reason or another, you’re bound to find someone of interest.

“Almost everyone walks through there at least once, which means you get to see all sorts of personal styles and characters,” said senior religious studies major Paige Minichiello. “I’m pretty sure I saw Hagrid once, with a full beard, hat, and trench-coat, but he was wearing a Hawaiian print shirt.”

Placing just after the Quad in second place, the ASUCD Coffee House is another popular site for observation. Located just north of The Quad, its large windows allow for viewing the first-place winner, despite inclement weather. In third place is the Davis Farmers Market.

— Alex Stanton

1. In-N-Out
1020 Olive Drive

2. Burgers & Brew
403 Third St.

3. The Old Teahouse
825 Russell Blvd. #22

For those late-night cravings, the fast food chain In-N-Out Burger seems to be the definitive choice for UC Davis students looking for food fast.

Located right off Interstate 80, the burger joint boasts comfort food items such as multiple types of burgers, french fries, neopolitan shakes, along with three other milkshake flavors and a secret menu.

The business’ late-night hours could be what contributes to its popularity for students looking for something to eat when other food locations doors’ are closed. In-N-Out is open 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 to 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

“The food seems more clean and not as processed,” said junior biochemistry major Moses Holleyman. “It’s convenient and it’s quick when you’re looking for something to eat late at night.”

In-N-Out was originally founded in 1948 in the southern California city of Baldwin Park and now has hundreds of locations spread across California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Texas.

“At In-N-Out Burger, quality is everything. That’s why in a world where food is often over-processed, prepackaged and frozen, In-N-Out makes everything the old fashioned way,” the In-N-Out website states.

Both the corporate and local In-N-Out employees declined to comment, saying they do not comment on contests.

Burgers and Brew and The Old Teahouse placed second and third in this category, respectively. Samantha Lynch, a manager at Burgers & Brew, said she believes their variety of food options, along with their being open until 3 a.m. is what attracts students late at night. The Old Teahouse manager Regina Peng attributes their third place standing to their popular boba drinks and late hours.

— Angela Swartz

1. UC Davis Dining Commons

2. Davis Sushi Buffet Japanese Restaurant
707 Second St.

3. Kathmandu Kitchen
234 G Street

Moving up from last year’s number two spot, the UC Davis Dining Commons was voted the best buffet in Davis.

“Freshmen are excited to see the number of choices,” said Kyle Peiper, the dining commons operations director for residents dining, who pointed out that freshmen often have to get adjusted and not eat too much.

The three dining commons on campus, located at the Segundo, Tercero and Cuarto residence areas, offer buffets for breakfast, lunch, dinner, “late night” and weekend brunch.

All students, whether dorm residents or off-campus residents, are welcome, as well as faculty, staff and even community members with no formal campus affiliation. Diners without prepaid meal plans can pay $8.75 for breakfast, $10 for lunch and $12.75 for dinner, with a 10 percent discount for purchases made with Aggie Cash.

Theme meals at the dining commons are especially popular. This year’s luau theme will be on March 8, and the annual Harry Potter Dinner, featuring foods based on the book and movie series, will be on April 24.

Dietitian Linda Adams works to create nutritious as well as environmentally sustainable menus.

“Typically, what’s good for us [to eat] is also good for the planet,” Adams said.

Guests with food sensitivities or allergies can indulge themselves in gluten free pizza, breads and cookies, as well as food in the gluten-free refrigerator. Other typical allergies are accommodated as well, with the dining commons attempting to provide at least one option for every meal, Adams said.

The Davis Sushi Buffet Japanese Restaurant placed second, with its lunch and dinner sushi and non-sushi buffets. Lunch is from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner is from 5 to 9 p.m.

In third place is Kathmandu Kitchen, which offers its popular Chicken Makhani and Vegetable Korma dishes as part of its daily buffet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

— Brian Riley

1. Let Them Eat Cake

310 C St.

2. Ciocolat

301 B St.

3. Sugar Daddies

113 E St.

Marie Antoinette supposedly said of her subjects, “Let them eat cake.” Though she spoke of her fellow Frenchmen, Davis residents have apparently taken her words to heart, voting cupcake bakery Let Them Eat Cake Davis’ best dessert.

Opened in 2009 by Paulette Coffman and her daughters, UC Davis students Chelsea and Brittany, the bakery offers a rotating menu of approximately 100 classic and innovative cupcake flavors. Chocolate chip cookies, buttermilk biscuit sandwiches and scones have also been added to the menu, which originally included just 24 different varieties of cupcakes.

In July 2011, Let Them Eat Cake moved from 423 L St. to their current location on C Street, a change Paulette Coffman said has been “great.”

“We still have our regulars from our old location, and now we’re getting more foot traffic,” Coffman said.

Coffman said besides the three daily flavors, the vanilla “Illegally Blonde,” chocolate “Dubliner” and red velvet “Scarlett,” customers’ favorite flavors change with the day of the week. Current offerings include the cornflake-topped “Breakfast of Champions,” “Lolita,” a tropical liqueur cake, and the February flavor-of-the-month “Cupid,” a chocolate-hazelnut cake filled with Nutella.

Coffman said she can get inspiration for new cupcake flavors anywhere, and recently invented the “Ale to the Chief,” an India Pale Ale cake with salted caramel frosting and crushed pretzels, after drinking an unusual beer at Monticello Seasonal Cuisine.

“It had juniper and sage, and I thought, ‘Guys would love this in a cupcake,’” Coffman said. “They go crazy for it.”

Rounding out Davis’ best dessert in second place is Ciocolat, followed by Sugar Daddies, formerly known as Davis Creamery, in third place.

 — Erin Migdol

1. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen
129 E St.

2. Tie: Sudwerk
2001 Second St.

3rd and U Cafe
223 Third St.

3. Davis Beer Shoppe
211 G St.

Specials hold a fond place in all college kids’ hearts. After all, what could be better than getting something at a discounted price? Well, it would be getting alcohol at a discounted price.

Two-dollar-off draft beers, $5 cocktail drinks, and $3 well drinks during happy hour earned Sophia’s Thai Kitchen the name of Davis’ best drink special.

Emily Mekinna, waitress at Sophia’s, said that she thinks exotic flavor sets their drinks apart from others.

“Our drink specials are very affordable and very unique — and always very good,” Mekinna said.

Take the Thaibreaker for example: light rum, gold rum, Malibu, Myers’s, apple brandy, pineapple juice and 151 float make for a truly one-of-a-kind drink.

“Our mojito’s are so good that they’re county-famous,” Mekinna said.

Sudwerk, with $1 pints and 3rd and U, offering 3 pints for $6.50 came in second for their happy hour specials.

Third place winner The Davis Beer Shoppe offers discounted beer shots during happy hour.

— Sara Islas

1.   Zia’s Delicatessen
616 Third St.

2.   Nugget Market
1414 E. Covell Blvd.
409 Mace Blvd.

3.   Beach Hut Deli
109 E St.

Turkey, smoked mozzarella and pesto mayonnaise make up the classic Viareggio, served at none other than Zia’s Delicatessen, voted to be home of the best sandwich in Davis.

Owners Kevin and Anne Marie Crilly established Zia’s in 1995 and say that one of the biggest things that sets their eatery apart from others is the fact that they are a truly family-owned and operated restaurant.

“My wife and I are here every day that we are open and we have two of our children working full time,” Kevin said.

This alone, however, would not win the deli the title of best sandwich. Kevin and Anne take the quality of their food very seriously to ensure customer satisfaction.

“We’re concerned about price, but we’re most concerned with taste,” Kevin said. “We would not serve something that we ourselves would not be happy with. We put a great deal of emphasis on the quality of our food.”

Zia’s has a lot of in-house meats, meaning they are prepared at the deli. This type of attention to quality amounts to why the deli’s sandwiches are so unique, especially the Viareggio.

“What makes it special is the pesto that goes in the mayonnaise is made here, so it doesn’t come out of a jar,” Kevin said.

Zia’s has a distinctive “homey” atmosphere, replicating the authenticity of an Italian deli. With the classic Italian decor and music setting the tone, customers can take a step into Italy, if only for a brief moment.

The runner-up for the title of best sandwich goes to Nugget Market, where customers can make their own sandwiches for a quick and easy meal.

Voted third is the Beach Hut Deli, with its unique sandwich names and surfboard tables that make it the ultimate place for students to enjoy a beachy environment, even when they are miles away from any waves.

— Devon Bohart