More than 600 readers participated in our online survey to find the “Best Of” in the SMU/Park Cities area. Unless otherwise designated, all picks are those of the readers.
The Best Of:
Campus
Best Place to Find Guys, Best Gym, & Best Way to Spend an Hour on Campus
Dedman Center
In addition to normal exercise facilities, Dedman Rec Center sports a climbing wall, a tanning pool, and several racquetball courts. Its hours are flexible, allowing everyone to blow off steam on the treadmill every once in a while. It’s also a great place to meet new, extremely fit friends.
Best Male SMU Athlete
Kyle Padron
A true freshman from Southlake Carroll High School, Padron was originally red shirted by head coach June Jones when he entered SMU. Padron was forced into action when starting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was injured against the University of Houston. As a starter, Padron went 5-1, including his dominating victory in the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl.
Best Female SMU Athlete
Kaitlyn Edison
A sophomore midfielder on the SMU women s soccer team, Edison hails from Katy, Texas, and attended Cinco Ranch High School. As a freshman, she started all 20 games and led the team in assists. As a sophomore, Edison improved her play and was named to the All C-USA second-team at the end of the year. In all the conference games that the Mustangs played in 2009, Edison only missed 9 minutes of action.
Best Residence Hall Overall & Best Residence Hall for Shut-ins
Reader’s Pick: Virginia Snider
“I’m not surprised that it was voted over all dorm because anybody can find what they are looking for because there are so many different kinds of people,” Virginia-Snider resident assistant Alex Ehmke said. Virginia-Snider, SMU’s Honor’s Community and one of the largest dorms on campus, features four floors and three different lounges. The ground floor is for fun, the second floor is for group study and the third floor is for silent study. Maybe the reason that it was voted the best residents all for shut-ins is because it s so awesome that nobody wants to leave!
Staff Pick, Best Residence Hall Overall: McElvaney Hall
Staff Pick, Best Residence Hall for Shut-ins: Mary Hay Hall
Best Sculpture
The Mustangs
Situated in Mustang Plaza, the Mustangs are the only sculpture on campus that depict SMU s mascot. Artist Miley Frost created the three 11-foot bronze statues that make up the statue. Real estate developer John W. Carpenter III commissioned the sculpture for his wife, Cele Slaughter Briscoe Carpenter ( 78) for their 25th wedding anniversary.
Best Landscaping Feature
Trees on the Boulevard
Perhaps the most notable and picturesque landscape on the SMU campus is The Boulevard. The trees line the main entrance to SMU and shade the SMU community during The Boulevard tailgating before each home football game. This landscaping feature is part of SMU s award winning landscape design and is a prominent feature in SMU promotional photos.
Best Professor
Rick Halperin
Halperin is best known as the face of SMU s Human Rights Program. But Halperin has also served as chair of the Board of Directors of Amnesty International USA. In 2008, Halperin was the recipient of the National Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs s National Faculty Award. He has been a longtime advocate for human rights and frequently takes groups on human rights educational trips.
Best SMU Tradition, Best Campus Event & Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners
The Boulevard
The success of the SMU football team has varied throughout the years, but that doesn t stop the SMU community when it comes to The Boulevard. Held on The Boulevard (hence the name) before each home football game, the picnics and festivities drawn a multitude of students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Best Fraternity
No. 1 Sigma Phi Epsilon 19% of the total vote
No. 2 Pi Kappa Alpha 13% of the total vote
No. 3 Sigma Alpha Epsilon 12% of the total vote
Best Sorority
No. 1 Kappa Alpha Theta 19% of the total vote
No. 2 Gamma Phi Beta 13% of the total vote
No. 3 Delta Delta Delta 12% of the total vote
Best place to sit and hang out with friends
Varsity in Hughes Trigg
Staff Pick: Java City
Best place to study
Readers and Staff Pick: Fondren Library
Best place to park your car
Readers’ Pick: Binkley Garage
Staff Pick: Airline Garage
Best place to sleep on-campus
Readers’ Pick: My residence hall room
Staff Pick: grass on the Main Quad
Best on-campus hideaway
Readers Pick: Study cubicles in Fondren Library
Staff Pick: Tunnel system under campus
Best residence hall for social butterflies
Readers and Staff Pick: Boaz Hall
Best residence hall for first-years
Readers Pick: Boaz Hall
Staff Pick: McElvaney
Best campus office
Readers Pick: Student Activities & Multicultural Student Affairs (SAMSA)
Best view of campus
Readers and Staff Pick: From steps of Dallas Hall looking south toward downtown Dallas
Best campus building exterior
Readers and Staff Pick: Dallas Hall
Best campus building interior
Readers and Staff Pick: Blanton Student Services Building
Best fountain
Readers and Staff Pick: Fountain in Main Quad
Best construction project
Readers and Staff Pick: George W. Bush Library
Best quad
Readers and Staff Pick: Main Quad
Best place to find girls
Readers and Staff Pick: Sorority Row
Best place to propose marriage
Readers and Staff Pick: Steps of Dallas Hall
Best reason to go to an SMU football game
Readers and Staff Pick: Watch the game
Best reason to go to an SMU men’s basketball game
Readers and Staff Pick: Cheer for the Mustangs
Best reason to go to an SMU women’s basketball game
Readers and Staff Pick: Cheer for the Mustangs
Best SMU sport to watch outside of football/basketball
Readers and Staff Pick: Men s Soccer
Best SMU sports venue
Readers and Staff Pick: Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Best SMU coach
Readers Pick: June Jones
Best first-year memory
Readers and Staff Pick: R
esidence Hall
esidence Hall
Best mascot
Readers and Staff Pick: Peruna
Best fraternity event
Readers Pick: Phi Delt Casino Night
Best sorority event
Readers Pick: Delta Gamma Anchor Splash
Best non-Greek campus organization
Readers Pick: Student Senate
Best student publication
Readers Pick: The Muddler
Staff Pick: The Daily Campus
Best source for SMU news
Readers and Staff Pick: The Daily Campus
Food and Dining
Best Barbaque
Peggy Sue BBQ
Peggy Sue BBQ opened in 1989 on the basis of a fondly remembered tradition of barbeque, according to the Web site. With an ambiance reminiscent of the 1950 s, Peggy Sue prides itself on offering beef brisket totally stripped of excess fat as well as hand-trimmed baby back and pork ribs. Fresh, lightly steamed vegetables and a salad bar are offered as compliments alongside the barbeque dinners. 6600 Snider Plaza, Dallas, Texas 75205; (214) 987-9188; www.peggysuebbq.com.
Best Chicken, Best Comfort Food
Bubba’s
Bubba’s first opened in 1981 after transforming a 1927 Texaco service station into the Art Deco-styled restaurant. Bubba s serves southern-style home cooking via drive-thru, sit-down and catering services. Some of the venue s most popular items are it s fried chicken, chicken fried steak, fried chicken tenders, and fried catfish. It also offers a large breakfast selection from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. seven days per week. 6617 Hillcrest Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75205; (214) 373-6527; www.bubbascatering.org
Best Chicken (Staff Pick)
Pluckers
Pluckers first hatched in the summer of 1995 on the basis that Austin, TX needed more wing restaurants that offered sit-down, take-out and catering services. As of today, Pluckers menu consists of 16 different wing sauces and plate sizes ranging from 5 pieces (For Chicks & Whimps ) to 100 pieces (The Mother Plucker ). With a bustling atmosphere and late hours, Pluckers quickly became a college favorite.
5500 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75206; (214) 363-9464;
pluckers.com.
Best Mexican Food
Readers and Staff Pick: Chuy s
Dallas has a lot of Mexican restaurants, but Chuy s holds a special place in SMU students hearts. The food is great, the dÈcor is fun (if a little cheesy), and the menu is affordable. Its location between campus and downtown makes it a great place to take a date or grab dinner with some friends before a night on the town.
Best Cookies/Cupcakes
JD’s Chippery
Best on-campus eatery
Readers and Staff: Einsteins Bagels
Best breakfast
Readers Pick: Breadwinner’s
3301 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, TX 75204; (214) 754-4940; breadwinnerscafe.com
Staff Pick: Cafe Brazil, multiple locations
Best Chinese Food
Readers Pick: P.F. Chang’s, multiple locations
Staff Pick: WaiWai Kitchen
3020 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas; (214) 368-9494
Best Thai Food
Readers and Staff Pick: Royal Thai Palace
5500 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 691-3555
royalthaitexas.com
Best steakhouse
Readers Pick: Nick & Sam’s
3008 Maple Avenue, Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 871-7444
nick-sams.com
Staff Pick: Bob’s Steak & Chop House
4300 Lemmon Avenue, Dallas, TX 75219
(214) 528-9446
Best vegetarian
Readers Pick: Zoe’s
6800 Snider Plaza, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 987-1020; zoeskitchen.com
Staff Pick: Cosmic Cup Cafe
2912 Oak Lawn Ave. Dallas, TX 75219
(214) 521)-6157
Best seafood
Readers and Staff Pick: Pappadeaux’s
Multiple locations
Best sushi
Readers Pick: Sushi Kyoto
6429 Hillcrest Avenue, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 520-9991
Staff Pick: Blue Fish
3519 Greenvill Ave., Dallas
(214) 824-3474
thebluefishsushi.com
Best sandwich
Readers and Staff Pick: Jimmy John’s
6411 Hillcrest Avenue
Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 526-4782
jimmyjohns.com
Best salad
Readers Pick: La Madeleine
3072 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 696-0800
lamadeleine.com
Staff Pick: Zoe’s
6800 Snider Plaza, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 987-1020
zoeskitchen.com
Best new restaurant
Readers and Staff Pick: Vapiano’s
5319 East Mockingbird Lane
Dallas, TX 75206-5107
(214) 887-1557
vapianointernational.com
Best meal deal
Readers Pick: Taco Bell, multiple locations
Staff Pick: Wendy’s, multiple locations
Best restaurant to take a date
Readers and Staff Pick: Patrizio’s
25 Highland Park Village
Dallas, TX 75205-2789
(214) 522-7878
patrizios.net
Best place to eat after midnight
Readers and Staff Pick: Cafe Brazil
Multiple locations
Best food to grab in 15 minutes or less
Readers and Staff Pick: Einsteins Bagels
Multiple locations
Best pizza
Readers Pick (tie): Papa John’s, multiple locations;
Piggy Pies,
5315 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 696-9200
piggiepiespizza.com
Staff Pick: Piggie Pies
Best ice cream / frozen yogurt
Readers and Staff Pick: Yumilicious
3800 McKinney Avenue
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 521-7888
yogi-licious.com
Best dessert
Readers and Staff Pick: Cheesecake Factory
Multiple locations
Best coffeehouse
Readers and Staff Pick: Starbucks
Best beer
Readers and Staff Pick: Shiner
Best beer selection
Readers Pick: The Ginger Man
2718 Boll Street, Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 754-8771
gingermanpub.com
Staff Pick: Barley House
5612 SMU Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 824-0306
barleyhouse.com
Market
Best Grocery Store, Best Organic Store, Best Flower Store
Central Market
The grocery has a reputation for providing the freshest and highest quality in produce, organic and health food, and just about every other cooking item imaginable. Just a short drive from campus, Central Market has long been a go-to spot for SMU students who want to grab a quick bite after class or feel inspired to cook themselves a gourmet meal.
5750 East Lovers Ln.; (214) 234-7000