1. Davis Barber Shop
209 G St.

2. Tie: Aggie’s Barber Shop
724 Second St.

Supercuts
1300 E. Covell Blvd.

3. Pomegranate Salon
123 D St.

The haircutting game is relevant to everyone because of one reason: if your hair is wrong, your entire life is wrong.

Luckily the greater campus population can go easy knowing that Davis Barber Shop was voted first place by the Davis community as the best place to get a haircut.

John Brito, manager and barber at the Davis Barber Shop talks about hair with a passion.

“As far as hair goes, we don’t prescribe to one side only, and we consider the individual as a whole,” Brito said.

Such a guiding philosophy is apt for a 50-year-old traditional family barber shop.

For the boys looking to impress that after-midterm date, the Davis Barber Shop can guarantee a good looking head of hair, if nothing else. The Davis Barber Shop is a place where the relationship between barber and patron still rings true.

“We ask the hard questions, get the answers, to ensure a great looking haircut,” Brito said.

The store also displays bamboo bicycles out front, and on a good day one might even be able to request a ride at the owner’s discretion.

And why not? A great haircut deserves to fly down the street on a bike with all quickness, among the clamor of, “Where did you get that haircut, broham?”

Tied for second place were the Aggie Barber Shop and Supercuts. Pomegranate came in third place, as a premium hair salon and thus a little pricier than most.

— Peter An

1. Peter J. Shields Library

2. At home

3. Mishka’s Cafe
610 Second St.

It is no surprise Shields Library clinches the top spot for best place to study in Davis.

Students, faculty, and guests alike enjoy Shields for its resources, space and study-friendly hours. With a computer lab and dozens more sporadic computers, wireless internet and 3.1 million volumes on loan for checkout, Shields has everything one may need for cranking out an essay or researching a project.

Offline, Shields users not only have access to UC Davis’ library, called the Harvest system, but also the catalogs of fellow UCs, called the Melvyl system. Where most people must subscribe or pay for premier electronic journals and databases, UC Davis students boast the ability to use those otherwise expensive and exclusive resources, “52,473 journals and 799 databases in total,” according to Shields employee Daniel Goldstein, for free (aside from tuition).

In addition to the rows between stacks of books, Shields’ four floors leave plenty of square footage for socially acceptable study spots: long tables, study carrels and private rooms. The library is open until midnight every school night, closing at 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

If it’s a 5-hour energy kind of night/morning though, pack your belongings and head next door to the 24-hour reading room. The jail cell lighting and entertaining desk carvings will keep you awake enough to finish your work and get the heck out of there!

Coming in at a close second is studying “at home,” be it in your dorm room, house or apartment. And the ever-popular, always-packed Mishka’s Café on Second Street medals bronze, finishing out the competition for Davis’ best study places.

— Chelsea Mehra

1. Mishka’s Café
610 Second St.

2. Tie: Starbucks

ASUCD Coffee House
Memorial Union

3. Peet’s Coffee

For many sleep-deprived students, coffee is a life saver for getting them through heavy course loads and every day student obligations. This year, Aggies have voted Mishka’s Cafe the number one spot to grab a cup of coffee, espresso or tea.

In 1995, Mishka’s opened with the hope of providing the city of Davis with a café that resembled what one would find in Europe. In early 2011, Mishka’s Café moved to 610 Second St., next door to the Davis Varsity Theatre.

“It’s been 17 years. I was young and naïve and I just thought it would be sort of a wonderful idea to have a European style coffee shop with a lot of space to sit down and talk and have a really nice warm atmosphere. That was the goal,” said Mishka’s owner Sisa Novakodic.

Mishka’s Café serves an assortment of coffee and espresso drinks, teas and pastries. There are numerous places to sit down inside and a few tables outside in the front of the building, which makes it an ideal location to hang out with friends or study for an upcoming exam.

“People mention that we have great coffee and many, many, many teas and a very pleasant building atmosphere,” Novakodic said. “They feel comfortable here, like it’s their living room.”

Starbucks and ASUCD Coffee House tied at second place, and Peet’s Coffee and Tea came in third.

— Priscilla Wong

1. The Davis Graduate
805 Russell Blvd.

2. KetMoRee Thai Restaraunt and Bar
238 G St.

3. Activities and Recreation Center dance classes

Put on your cowboy boots, because Davis loves ‘em some country dancing. The Davis Graduate, host to country, salsa and top 40 themed nights, was once again voted the best place to dance in Davis.

“We’re the only place in town that has a real dance floor,” said Danny Ramos, general manager.

Dances are held Monday through Saturday, and most nights are 18 and over. The Grad also hosts special events — such as greek mixers — on Thursdays. Most nights have a cover charge, but Wednesdays are free for the 21 and over crowd.

The Grad, located at 805 Russell Blvd in the University Mall, has been open since 1971.

“Music changes, but dancing remains the same,” Ramos said. “Try it out some time. You’re in college. Most people that come in have fun.”

In second place is KetMoRee, a Thai restaurant that turns into a night club Thursday through Saturday.

The G Street location often has a line out the door, with a variety of house, top 40 and old school music pulsing past the bouncer. The first hundred people of the evening get in for free, and if you buy a drink before 11:30 the cover is waived.

Third place goes to the on campus Activities and Recreation Center (ARC), which hosts a variety of dance classes and team practices,  including ballet and salsa. Though the ARC is more of a fitness club than a night club, the people of Davis love getting their sweat on in the second floor studios.

– Becky Peterson

1. UC Davis Activities and Recreation Center

2. UC Davis Arboretum

3. Davis Greenbelt

It’s no surprise that the most diverse and student-friendly colossus known as the UC Davis Activities and Recreation Center (the ARC) has topped the charts this year for the best place in Davis to get exercise.

Besides specializing in weightlifting, cardio and aerobic exercise, the ARC also offers many recreational activities and classes that can spice up any student’s daily routine.

“I like the ARC because there’s something for everyone, whether you’re climbing or playing racquetball or dancing — you name it,” said junior evolution and ecology major Michelle Stone. “And you don’t have to be an expert, either; the classes teach you everything. It’s also a really good way to meet people that you wouldn’t ordinarily meet in your classes.”

Whether you want to get your groove on with dance, rekindle your Wild West days by learning how to ride a horse, get electrified with a high-energy spin class, be part of an intramural team, or enhance those Bruce Lee martial arts skills, the ARC offers a lot more than a rock-climbing wall — it has just about everything fun.

While the classes for recreational activities have a quarterly cost, a currently enrolled UC Davis student can use most of the gym’s workout facilities for free, since membership is included with tuition.

The ARC’s on-campus location coordinates with the campus community on a very friendly basis, connecting positive Aggie pride under one roof.

“It’s a good environment. I’ve never really had any altercations here as far as people being mean to one another. Its friendly, relaxing and just a good place to be,” said Kenny Job, employee at the ARC’s fitness center.

Finishing in second is another on-campus gem, the UC Davis Arboretum, which provides a combination of fresh air, nature and jogging lanes.

Behind the Arboretum in third place is the Davis Greenbelt, a connection of 10 bike loops that span across the Davis area to offer exercise and scenic views.

— Dominick Costabile

1. ASUCD Coffee House
Memorial Union

2. Taqueria Guadalajara
640 W. Covell Blvd.
417 Mace Blvd.

3. Hunan
207 D St.

The next time you’re thinking of rolling out the big dough for a quick lunch, forget about it! The ASUCD Coffee House, casually known as the CoHo, is the premier dining destination for the on-the-go, cash-strapped student.

Located in the Memorial Union (MU), across from the Quad, students rave about the CoHo’s accessibility and cheap prices.

“We have the best location to eat on campus; we are next to the MU, the Quad, Shields Library, Wellman Hall and Olson Hall. It’s convenient for the way students go about their day. You’re getting quality prices for organic, locally grown and quality food,” said senior political science and communication double major and Fickle Pickle Deli employee Sam Mahood.

From pizza to pho and just about everything in between, the variety of foods offered by the CoHo are endless. The CoHo provides students with seven different meal menus, so you’ll never get bored with that plain old sandwich again. The majority of food items served are under five dollars, leaving customers with a happy tummy, and a thankful wallet.

In a rough economy, shelling out the big bucks for a simple sandwich, soup, or salad is certainly not an option for many students.

“I think it’s really great that it’s so accessible; it’s in the middle of campus! It’s cheap, fast and delicious. There’s lots of choices,” said sophomore landscape architecture major Sarah Skinker.

Runner-up Taqueria Guadalajara serves primarily Mexican fare without breaking the bank, and third-place winner Hunan features “Americanized” Chinese food on a friendly budget.

— Gheed Saeed

1. Village Bakery
814 Second St.

2. Woodstock’s Pizza
219 G St.

3. Uncle Vito’s Slice of N.Y.
524 Second St.

Looking for the best slice of pizza in Davis? Located at 814 Second St., Village Bakery has been voted the best pizza in Davis and is therefore one spot not to be missed when a pizza craving arrives.

Laura Doyle, manager at Village Bakery, believes that there are many reasons why consumers love the pizza there.

“We focus on the dough. The recipe is really, really good and it’s one of the reasons our pizza is so good,” Doyle said. “We don’t over-handle the dough, which keeps the air bubbles in there. The air bubbles we manage to keep in our dough is one of the reasons that our dough is so chewy.”

Doyle said that one of the things that makes Village Bakery so charming is that they use a brick oven.

“People really like the brick oven,” Doyle said.

She said that Village Bakery is a great place because it has a certain charm about it. It has pizza by the slice and hasn’t increased its prices.

“We’re a place someone can come with their kids,” Doyle said. “Families in Davis come here a lot.”

Ahmad Soltani, a customer at Village Bakery, gives the pizza a “thumbs-up.” According to Soltani, Village Bakery is great because his kids love going there and because it has great ingredients.

“It’s all fresh, they make everything themselves,” Soltani said. “The pizza is unique. They have slices at reasonable prices and make it in a brick oven.”

To check out the all of the best pizzas Davis has to offer, visit second and third place winners Woodstock’s and Uncle Vito’s Slice of N.Y., respectively.

— Eric C. Lipsky

1. Yolo Berry Yogurt
316 C St.

2. Sugar Daddies
113 E St.

3. Cultive
231 E St.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! That is the famous saying, but in Davis, residents clearly prefer frozen yogurt over ice cream.

Yolo Berry Yogurt has been voted Davis’ favorite ice cream or frozen yogurt shop again this year.

Yolo Berry opened in October 2008, becoming the fourth yogurt shop in Davis. Customers are able to serve themselves yogurt from machines on the wall. Over 100 toppings allow everyone to be creative and put together their own frozen yogurt ensembles.  A cup of frozen yogurt and toppings costs just 39 cents per ounce, and the multiple yogurt flavors are rotated daily.

“Yolo Berry stands out for its toppings, I’m guessing. That’s really the main difference with us,” said assistant manager Jaymi Garcia. “We have so many different toppings and variety. That’s what makes us stand out from the other yogurt shops.”

Yolo Berry, located at 316 C St., is in a prime location directly across the street from Central Park and very near to other restaurants and hangouts of downtown, including the Davis Farmers Market and Burgers and Brew.

“We have good customer service, we are a friendly, clean environment, and we have variety of toppings including fresh fruit and hot syrups and cold syrups. It’s just a good atmosphere,” Garcia said.

Sugar Daddies, located at 113 E St., came in second place with Cultive, located at 231 E St., coming in third.

— Priscilla Wong

1. Downtown Davis

2. North Davis

3. Central Davis

“Downtown is the place to be,” said recent graduate, ASUCD Controller and downtown Davis resident Don Ho. And he isn’t alone.

Reprising its role as 2011’s Best Place to Live, downtown Davis has once again won Best of Davis.

It’s not hard to see why.

“The social atmosphere and the history behind downtown have a lot of charm,” Ho said.

With its proximity to campus, Central Park and all the venues downtown has to offer, downtown Davis epitomizes what many believe it means to live in one of the last true college towns in America. It is in this spirit that you’ll often find a congenial mix of students and longtime Davis residents walking, shopping and eating alongside one another.

Densely packed and easily navigable with arrays of diverse eateries, downtown Davis naturally becomes the location in which you can find many of the other listed attractions in Best of Davis. Of course, with all of these perks comes a competitive atmosphere for securing housing. But residents claim the location is worth every penny.

The second best place to live in Davis is North Davis, an area marked informally by its location north of West Covell and west of F Street. Here you’ll also find The Marketplace, a convenient smorgasbord of businesses at the meeting place of many apartment complexes.

Placing third is Central Davis, a location considered west of Highway 113, at the south end of Russell Boulevard. Central Davis offers proximity to greek life, a half dozen public parks, nearly as many schools and two shopping centers with newly popular businesses, including Trader Joe’s and Forever 21.

— Rajiv Narayan

1. Peter J. Shields Library

2. Mishka’s Cafe
610 Second St.

3. ASUCD Coffee House
Memorial Union

Studying no longer relies upon just a stack of textbooks and a pile of notes. Wireless internet is also an integral part of the college studying experience, whether downloading professors’ slides off of SmartSite, looking up facts on Wikipedia or procrastinating on Facebook.

For the best place to plug in, or most computer-friendly location, Davis students and residents have voted for Peter J. Shields Library. Shields Library, located between Peter J. Shields Avenue and Hutchison Drive, is near the center of campus for quick access between classes. The Shields Library has had wireless internet since July 2003, along with the Physical Sciences and Engineering Library and the Carlson Health Sciences Library.

According to Dale Snapp, head of the systems department at Shields Library, the reason the wireless internet in the library is so good is the improvements in coverage and reliability. Wireless access points were upgraded to Aruba wireless access points (APs) in 2007 and are now located all over the building.

“The new APs are centrally controlled and monitored to provide a high degree of reliability,” Snapp said. “If one AP goes offline, the adjacent APs increase their radio transmission to cover the gap until the malfunctioning AP can be replaced.”

Snapp believes that the Shields Library provides an ideal location “where access to print, electronic resources and online chat reference service meets faculty, student and staff expectations.”

“I believe the Shields Library’s central location on campus, quiet study spaces and secure wireless coverage make it a top destination for their collaboration, studying and research needs,” Snapp said.

The second place winner was Mishka’s Cafe, located at 610 Second Street in downtown Davis. Third place went to the ASUCD Coffee House, located in the Memorial Union.

— Amy Stewart

1. Forever 21
875 Russell Blvd.

2. Target
4601 Second St.

3. The Gap
500 First St.

If you’re wondering why two girls who just walked into class are sporting the same jacket that you just purchased yesterday, the coincidence can probably be traced back to UC Davis’ apparel hot-spot: Forever 21.

One of the only large clothing retailers within a short walk of campus, Forever 21 offers students affordable, up-to-date garments as well as accessories. As implied in the name, the store’s major target market is a demographic of young adults — found in abundance in a college town.

Junior art history major Alex Craven said that low prices are her incentive to shop at Forever 21.

“It’s cheap! And I’m also most familiar with this store,” Craven said.

The franchise, which opened in 2011 and is located at the University Mall shopping center, is conveniently situated next to Starbucks and other heavily patronized eateries. With multiple entrances and exits, customers are able to drop in after perusing other indoor shops or head straight to the shopping destination through the outdoor storefront.

Though most of the store’s merchandise is geared toward women, Forever 21 also includes a section of men’s apparel, including outerwear, shoes and accessories.

Store employee Sierra Rudolph said the easygoing customers, as well as trained co-workers and an orderly store are what make Forever 21 the best.

“The customers are great, and the employees are wonderful. With smaller stores, everything starts to get messy. We really try to keep the store organized,” Rudolph said.

The second and third place winners, Target and The Gap respectively, also offer affordable clothing. However, both present a larger distance challenge for those who prefer not to use four wheels.

— Kelsey Smoot