Late-night snacks are a staple of life in Davis. Many of the restaurants and stores, both on campus and off, stay open late specifically to accommodate students’ nightly eating. This year, In-N-Out Burger took the top spot among late night eateries.

It’s no surprise. In-N-Out is all over California and is known for their fresh ingredients, solid prices and of course, their delicious milkshakes. In addition, the convenient location downtown just past the Davis Commons ensures that students can get a meal whenever they like. Who hasn’t stopped there for a Double-Double at least once? From their famous “Animal Style” fries to their delicious (if somewhat greasy) cheeseburgers, In-N-Out’s menu remains well-known among Davis students.

In-N-Out’s hours also helped them cement their place at the top among late-night snack locations. Open until at least 1 a.m. during the week and even later on the weekend, the restaurant continues to be a favorite haunt for after-hours moviegoers and late-night gatherings. On some nights the midnight line can stretch out the door — and that’s not even including the drive-thru, which is often five or six cars deep past 10 p.m.

“Here, we definitely know that we have a late-night rush. It’s something that we embrace. We are very proud of the product we serve,” said Daniel Del Mazzio, assistant manager.

Those who are looking for something different can go to second-place winner Burgers and Brew, located downtown, or third-place winner The Old Teahouse, located next to The Grad in the University Mall.

— Brett Bunge

The cozy, family-oriented Aggie Inn wins the title for best hotel in Davis once again.

“Every time my family comes to visit me in Davis, we go to the Aggie Inn and stay in the cottage suites, which has everything from big, spacious living rooms to kitchens full of utensils and supplies,” said Lauren Tseng, a third-year animal science major. “They also have complimentary breakfast, which we eat every time.”

The Aggie Inn is famous for its cottage-style rooms, which, unlike normal hotel rooms, come with living areas with sofa beds, Jacuzzi tubs and patios. There are cottage suites with kitchens for those planning on staying for long periods of time.

“The Aggie Inn is a part of a chain of hotels along with four other hotels. Two are in Sacramento while three are in Davis,” said Lenor Nunez, sales and marketing manager. “A family owned this hotel since 1969. The owner, at the age of 20, built it from scratch with his own blueprints. He wanted to make the hotel a place where people could feel at home. He wanted the cottage-like feel so he surrounded the place with trees and outdoor patios. People can feel like they’re in Tahoe even though they’re in Davis. He really wanted people to enjoy nature.”

The Aggie Inn provides a complimentary breakfast with an assortment of muffins, cereals, breads, fresh juices and coffee. Guests are provided with complimentary high-speed wireless internet access along with access to the hotel fitness center, fully equipped with machines and flat-screen televisions.

“People say that they love the Aggie Inn because of the great customer service. Our manager, Janet Rangel, is a very friendly person. She always goes out of her way to help people. Also, the Aggie Inn is near the heart of downtown Davis and all the best restaurants are merely walking distance,” Nunez said.

Other than the Aggie Inn, popular hotels include the second place Hyatt Place UC Davis hotel, conveniently located within UC Davis, and the third place Hallmark Inn, located right in the middle of downtown Davis.

— Alice Lee

Robert Arneson’s egghead statues, which are displayed around campus, have been voted as the number-one Best Public Art feature in Davis.

Egghead sites include the Bookhead located in front of Shields Library, the Eye on Mrak, which sits outside of Mrak Hall, the See No Evil Hear No Evil located at the Mrak roundabout, the Stargazer, which sits behind North Hall and the Yin and Yang, located in front of Wright Hall.

In 2007, students submitted photos featuring the eggheads as part of a digital photo contest, many of which portrayed humorous poses with the eggheads and conveyed a connection of the campus community to the sculptures.

Maureen Mai, a first-year film studies major, said that she enjoys the eggheads on campus.

“I’ve seen a lot of eggheads around campus but my favorite one is in front of Mrak Hall. There is something mysterious about the eye and all of the eggheads,” Mai said.

Other popular public art enjoyed by students of UC Davis include the graffiti bridge on the way to Winters, which came in second place, and the bicycle statue on Russell Boulevard, which came in third place.

— Jessica Grilli

Most UC Davis students understand what a nice haircut looks like, and eventually need to scope out the best local barbershops to trim their locks. This year, the university population has spoken, choosing Cobalt Salon and Gallery as the best place to get a haircut in Davis.

The salon, located in the downtown Davis Mansion Square Center on 132 E St., Suite 350, has been open for four years under the ownership of master stylist David Martin. This is the first year that the gallery has even been nominated for a Best of Davis category.

“I think it’s awesome, we are really happy,” Martin said. “It’s really nice to know that we are making an impact, and I’m glad that we are getting more recognition.”

With three extremely experienced stylists, including Martin, Tenaya Freitas and Sharon Jackson, Cobalt Salon and Gallery has attracted clients for many reasons since its opening.

“Our stylists are extremely experienced, and I’ve been a stylist for over 25 years,” Martin said. “We know how to treat people, we just love dealing with people.”

Martin also said that many others enjoy going to the salon because of its hip environment.

“The salon is very modern and fun, and there is always some new inspirational art,” Martin said. “We really believe in 100 percent client satisfaction. So we are super friendly and have no drama.”

In addition to cutting and styling hair, the salon offers education classes in hairstyling, taught by stylists from various hair product companies. Some study topics discussed in the past include hair color and men’s grooming.

Overall, Martin said the salon is dedicated to helping people in the Davis community with any hair needs.

“If you want one of the best hair experiences in town, come see us and you will be pleasantly surprised,” Martin said. “We just love what we do and are really good at it.”

For other spots to get a new ’do, check out the Aggie Barber Shop, which came in second place, and Avant Garde Studio, which came in third.

— Ritika Iyer

For delicious late-night Mexican food, try the number-one choice for best new dining spot in Davis, Taqueria El Burrito.

The restaurant just opened in November. Aside from the excellent food and service, their late-night hours contribute to their growing popularity.

They are open until 11 p.m. Sunday and Monday, midnight Tuesday and Wednesday and 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, making it a great place to eat at before or after a night of bar hopping, or as a snack in the middle of studying.

“People are studying and they want to get some food at 1 a.m. or 2 a.m., up until 3 a.m., so it’s a good base for UC Davis students,” said Veronica Guzman, co-owner and wife of co-owner Diego Gonzales.

“I think it’s a different perspective on a taqueria. We have the modern twist, we have large-screen TVs, we have a sports bar and we have authentic Mexican food. The ambience sets us apart from any other taqueria,” Guzman said.

They offer an extensive menu that is sure to satisfy all appetites, which includes tacos, burritos, tortas, enchiladas and combination plates, among many other choices.

“I happened to first notice this place after a night out with friends. I really liked the food and even went back the next day,” said Jennifer Gong, a fourth-year communication and linguistics double major.

Those wanting to try out the other new places to dine in Davis can go to this year’s second- and third-place winners, Panera Bread and Pho King IV, respectively.

— Sasha Cotterell

Your bike tire is flat and your housemates aren’t around to drive you to campus. Thankfully, the drivers of Unitrans have your back. With a bus system that covers almost the entirety of Davis, Unitrans is a reliable way to travel to and fro.

Free to students (when presenting their ID card), nothing can beat the transportation cost of “free 99” when traveling within Davis. Even if you do have to pay, it is only $1.

Not only is Unitrans a great resource for students, but it has also been ranked the best place to work on campus.

“Unitrans provides an opportunity to have a job that I would never have otherwise. I get paid to drive a bus! It is a flexible job with great co-workers,” said David Vermeulen, a Unitrans driver who started this school year. “It’s a company full of people who love their jobs and take pride in achieving a very high level of customer service.”

Run by students for students, Unitrans has been in service since its debut in 1966. After realizing the need for an easily accessible public transport system, ASUCD and the City of Davis created Unitrans. The growth over the years has been remarkable. The service now not only boasts more than 3 million riders every year, but also has some of the highest-rated safety records of any bus service in the nation — a reassuring fact when you must ride the bus every day.

To try and retain the “sustainability” mindset that is prevalent throughout UC Davis, the fleet of buses is powered almost entirely by compressed natural gas, with only two buses that run on diesel. This is helping to lessen emissions and petroleum consumption.

Other campus workplaces ranked highly as “Best Places to Work” are the ASUCD Coffee House coming in at second place, followed by our The California Aggie newspaper in third.

— Allen Guan