The Truth About America's First Cannabis Cafe
Contact high included, Lowell Farms: A Cannabis Cafe debuted as "America's First Cannabis Cafe" in the fall of 2019 with an extensive food and flower menu (via Foodbeast). For those new (or renewed) to the world of cannabis, California passed Prop. 64 in order to Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) in 2016, which in essence opened the door for a new business model — that of cafe-as-dispensary.
While not unique to California, this budtending option is still rare, and isn't even available in all states with legal recreational cannabis laws (via The Stranger). The way the cafe works is much like a standard dining experience. Customers are served by a server and a sommelier. The food is unadulterated, while the sommelier's product (in this case cannabis) offers mild to moderate psychoactive properties. Patrons can order an appetizer of pre-rolled flower joints and a main course of tamarind sticky wings followed by a dessert of hashish and a roasted marshmallow brownie sundae.
And while a sit-down cafe may have set the bar in cannabis cuisine, the restaurant continues to adapt with the times like many others in food and beverage.
Cannibas cafes on the go
Now called the OG Cannabis Cafe, the original Lowell Farms location is bringing patrons cannabis to-go in the form of a new drive-thru service (via Foodbeast). Like other California restaurants, the owners at OG have had to adapt to a lack of sit-down service due to pandemic restrictions. Following the model of food and beverage sellers across the nation, they launched drive-thru service in late April 2020.
While cannabis dispensaries fall under the essential service clause, the OG Cannabis Cafe was classified as a restaurant, requiring a shut-down of in-store services. However, patrons can once again satisfy their craving for Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, Vegan Nachos, or an Oat Milk Latte (although the menu has meat options too) from 12 pm to 8 pm. Carside service will allow customers to upgrade their order with a selection of flower, concentrates, pre-rolls, vaporizers, edibles, and accessories. As one happy Instagram fan says, "A truly balanced diet."