By Kevin Hess
SMU is often advertised as being “just a hop skip and a jump” away from Downtown Dallas. If that is true, then SMU is also only a “hop and skip” away from the cultural center that is Uptown Dallas. Uptown is a trendy, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood less than 10 minutes from SMU’s campus. It is home to many of Dallas’ best restaurants, businesses and financial firms, and even a thriving scene for nightlife. Nestled into this part of town is also one of Dallas’ oldest and most historic neighborhoods, the State-Thomas neighborhood. Uptown is one of my favorite places to spend a day and evening, so I thought I’d highlight a couple of my favorite places.
1. In a city where brunch is the most important meal of the week, Breadwinners is king. Known for its location in an old brick hat factory in Uptown, Breadwinners is a place you can always count on to be packed Saturday and Sunday mornings. It has all the classic brunch options with some Texas specialties that will knock your socks off. A must-go for when you come to visit.
2. Klyde Warren Park is a revolutionary new urban park created “out of thin air” on several city blocks over the Woodall-Rogers Freeway that separates Uptown and Downtown. This park has an amazing range of things going on in it all the time: from food trucks to a luxurious restaurant, from exercise classes to an outdoor library, and from a separate dog park to an amazing children’s play center; it really is a fun place to spend an afternoon.
3. Lastly, no weekend in Uptown would be complete without Gui’s all-you-can-eat sushi special. Every Sunday (Tuesday and Thursday also), this restaurant runs a $20 all-you-can-eat special that holds a special home in many SMU student’s hearts. In my opinion, there’s no better way to finish a weekend then by meeting some friends and stuffing your face with some of Dallas’ best rolls. All-in-all Uptown is just one of many diverse and fun neighborhoods that Dallas has to offer. Neighborhoods like this, with their vibrant and different cultures, make me proud and excited to go to school in such a great city!