A well-known fact in the cannabis industry: Consumers are always looking for new and exciting ways to enjoy their weed. Gone are the days of joint-smoking only; sure, a joint every once in a while can be nice, but it does not have to be the only option.
The same extends to the culinary world of marijuana. The playing field used to be defined by homemade brownies. Not anymore: Infusions exist in every form, from colas to gummies, to artesian truffles and beyond.
Now, too, there are places to go that serve food and drinks beyond dispensary packaged goodies. Marijuana dining is all the rage and comes in many different forms.
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Grab Some Java
If you love weed and you love coffee, why keep them separate? Marijuana-infused coffee is a definite trend that has made its way almost into the mainstream. Denver's Carbon Café & Bar, though not necessarily a strict, cannabis-only coffee shop, sells brews infused with both CBD and hemp oil. Strava coffee, made in Denver, is a brand that has peace and wellness blends, plus CBD oil coconut cubes made specifically as an additive to lattes, teas, and coffee drinks.
Places like The Coffee Joint act as a cannabis lounge-type hub, also serving infused coffees, teas, and juices. They allow for other types of consumption, and also sell tools like rigs, vaporizers, and other accessories, though smoking is not allowed inside.
Breakfast
If you did not know, there are certain hotels that are 420-friendly, and often include some kind of breakfast deal. At places like these hotels, which quietly allow for weed consumption in their rooms, their food menu is marijuana-free. But there are a few lodging options that spread the love directly into their breakfast.
The Adagio Bud and Breakfast is one such option, that upholds the "wake n' bake" tradition. They serve infused meals, plus offer 4:20 happy hours, edible goodies, and more, a la Colorado and California cannabis hospitality.
Canna-lunch, Anyone?
There are also midday stops for marijuana dining. Samich Truck, for example, is a converted school bus-turned-food truck serving the Denver area, offering infused items. Dishes are all pot-themed, including the likes of the Kushie Tomato Soup.
Operating along the same lines, Vancouver has a pizza shop willing to go the extra mile for its consuming customers. Mega Ill lets visitors bring in their own weed, which they will then bake a personalized infused sauce, through the process of oil extraction. Though dine-in only, this pizzeria really delivers.
Bondi Harvest in LA also adds hemp protein to many of the dishes for an extra boost and is willing to add CBD to any of their drinks upon request, including smoothies, teas, and coffees.
Have a Drink
Marijuana-infused beers are also now a thing, and likely will not stop being a thing. Craft breweries are popping up all over the place, and need new and exciting items like a weed signature drink to set them apart. In Denver, consumers can go to Dad and Dudes Breweria, which is credited as the very first brewery to infuse beer with industrial hemp. They serve the George Washington IPA, a truthfully herbal and delicious brew.
Portland is following suit with its own take on infused beer. Coalition Brewing is now serving up their "Two Flowers Ipa," aptly named to describe their secret ingredient: marijuana. Coalition has combined cannabis and hops for this CBD-heavy creation, meant for soothing rather than getting high.
Los Angeles has many go-to places for a cannabis-laced drink: Gracias Madre has CBD-infused cocktails, including the popular stoney negroni. Pattern Bar also has CBD options, including the Armani (made with gin, CBD oil, lime, mint, orange, sparkling wine, elderflower liqueur, and a glowing green piece of ice) and the option to upgrade any drink to CBD-infused for $5.
Fine Dining
There are a few options when it comes to a fine marijuana dining experience. Whether you go out on the town or stay within the comfort of the home, upscale meals plated with an extra helping of green is a viable option.
The Herbal Chef, located in Los Angeles, is a for-hire business that specializes in high-end cannabis dinners. These dinners are luxurious and extravagant, infusing weed into art, music, wine, and, obviously, the food. Herbal Chef offers private dinners for two-50 guests, high-profile investment dinners, catering for large personal or business events, and even meal prepping services.
Sinsemil.la in New York City offers a comparable experience, though it is much more low-key. This underground supper club mixes cannabis with fine dining to an extreme, making for a true culinary exploration of food, flavors, and pairings. They aim to balance taste with psychoactive properties. One famed dish is potato gnocchi, known for its infused White Widow buttered wild mushrooms. Fine dining, marijuana style.
Denver's Simply Pure is a Denver dispensary owned by renowned chef Scott Durrah. Simply Pure also curates private marijuana dining experiences, where Durrah puts forward four-course meals, using cannabis as an herbal flavor to add to the meal, as much as basil or mint. Though his typical clients are retired professional athletes looking for prescription drug alternatives, Simply Pure has gourmet edibles, both savory and sweet.
Try It Out
Give marijuana dining a try, and discover a vast world far beyond the walls of the typical pot brownie. (But, if a brownie does sound good, find a local dispensary with a diverse edibles menu at Leafbuyer.com.)
