The Perfect Pairings: Cannabis Dining Is a Night To Remember

While the cannabis industry continues to grow and more markets cultivate their medical and/or recreational programs, it has served to foster vast amounts of creativity and innovation throughout all facets of the industry. Edibles in particular are a growing category of interest in the U.S., with a value of $9.6 billion in 2023, and the potential to reach up to $20.60 billion by 2028, according to an August analysis by ReportLinker.

However there’s a niche in the edibles industry that’s continuing to grow: cannabis dining events. While there are still many limitations to cannabis infused dining, such as restrictive laws about public consumption or a lack of approved consumption lounges, many successful chef-led dining experiences are putting spotlight both on cannabis as an ingredient, as well as the consumer enjoying unique dishes infused with the herb. Here are a few places you can check out right now.

Co-founded by partners Mark Leibel and Chris Binotto in 2017, the Cannabis Supper Club showcases different cannabis brands, culinary artists, farmers, and a variety of other small businesses within its fine dining events. Chef Binotto, as he told High Times in our October 2023 issue, is all about creating long-lasting memories for diners. Up next for the Cannabis Supper Club is a 2024 New Year’s Eve Eve Party on Dec. 30.

Just as the name suggests, Cannescape is a cannabis-centric getaway founded by Chelsea Davis in northern California. Guests are invited to stay at a unique location, participate in tours, and even have relaxing yoga sessions. Best of all chef Solomon Johnson, winner of the Chopped 420 cannabis cooking show that aired in 2021, is Cannescape’s exclusive chef, serving up delicious infused food. Solomon was featured in our August 2023 issue, where he explained his love for infusions, specifically vegetables which are the perfect thing to pair with cannabis. The last Cannescape event was on Nov. 4-5 in Guerneville, California, and featured a cannabis and yoga class, garden tour, and of course, a fine dining infusion event with Solomon.

Based in St. Louis, Missouri this dining event is led by founder and chef Aliya Waldman. She told Feast in an interview that cannabis is much more fulfilling than alcohol in her experience, as well as a benefit to mental health. Bringing that as a private and intimate infused dining experience with both elevated dishes as well as comfort food has become a big success. The dinner club’s Instagram account teased the November menu, which includes carrot gnocchi, Cornish game hen, and a pumpkin cake with salted caramel, available for a limited time.

This brand holds beautifully curated dining experiences outdoors and in unique venues. While many of Cloth & Flame’s events are not cannabis themed or infused, it does occasionally hold lavish cannabis events in southern California and Arizona. We featured Cloth & Flame in our July 2023 issue, where co-founder Matt Cooley explained the level of detail they put into each and every event, from decorating the venue with impressive décor to setting up unique infused or non-infused menus.

According to the Cultivating Spirits website, it was founded in 2014 and was one of the first to offer infused culinary dining experiences. This dining experience has offerings in California, Colorado, Nevada (although due to state law, they can’t provide cannabis to you in Nevada). Unlike other dining events on this list, Cultivating Spirits doesn’t host their own events where tickets can be purchased to attend, but you can go to them to set up a reservation for special dinner, or events like a birthday, Bachelorette/Bachelor party, or corporate dining events.

Chef “Roilty” promises to bring a variety of dining options to Colorado. He’s well-known for his role as a finalist on Chopped 420 and Beat Bobby Flay, but also hash-making competitions as well. On the fine dining end of things, the brand offers either three-, five-, or seven-course dining experiences, as well as both in-person and online cannabis cooking classes. In fact, Dine With Roilty won the title of Westword’s Best of Denver award for “Best Cannabis Cooking Class” in 2022.

The Nomad Cook is made up of founding chef Travis Petersen and chef Kwin Marion, who travel the country offering infused dining experiences. Most recent events include a dining event in Hollywood, CA on Oct. 29,  Phoenix, Arizona on Nov. 4, Kansas City, Missouri on Nov. 6-7 and Dec. 13-14, New Jersey on Nov. 13, and Brooklyn, New York on Nov. 11-12, just to name a few. Petersen also published a book, Introduction to Culinary Cannabis, last September, and in our October 2021 issue, he told High Times about how he likes to pair food with the terpene profiles in specific strains, such as lobster with chimichurri infused with strains high in pinene.

Created by The Herbal Chef, aka Chris Sayegh, along with chefs Jared Ventura, Bradley Fry, and Yossel Backman, the Secret Supper Club is a private, ticketed dining event featuring cannabis-infused menu in Los Angeles. Their mission is to destigmatize plant medicine by featuring it as an ingredient in fine dining, and they do so through incredible menu items infused with THC and/or CBD (or no cannabis at all if diners prefer a non-infused experience). Sayegh also opened Nostalgia Bar and Lounge in Santa Monica, California last year, which doesn’t offer infused food like the Secret Supper Club, but does sometimes have unique CBD-based cocktails. He also published an infused cookbook called Sugar High, which includes a ton of great recipes for those with a sweet tooth.

Cannabis fine dining is going to continue to grow, and we look forward to seeing what other brands rise to the challenge. In the meantime, if cooking at home is more your style, then don’t forget to check out the official High Times Let’s Get Baked! Cookbook, written by Haejin Chun and Jamie Evans, on Nov. 28. Additionally, the High Times: The Official Book of Mocktails, Cocktails, and Teas is set to release in April 2024 as well!