Oct. 1, 2019, will go down in history as the date the legal cannabis movement made its most progress yet. The first-ever cannabis consumption-friendly restaurant is now open for business in the U.S.<\/p>\n
Lowell Herb Co.\u2019s pioneering business concept is licensed to serve both food and marijuana products, bringing cannabis out of hiding and into mainstream society. While it is still illegal to smoke cannabis in public in all legal states, the city of West Hollywood advocated for social use and in 2017, approved an ordinance for business licenses to serve this purpose.<\/p>\n
Lowell Farms: A Cannabis Caf\u00e9 was the first license granted among a pool of 300 applicants (eight more approved businesses are on the way), based on factors from social equity and innovation to community and design. This year, WeHo was able to accomplish what the first wave of legalized states is still trying to figure out and will be the model for how other cities can catch up. Local legislation in Los Angeles still restricts licensed businesses from serving dishes infused with cannabis.<\/p>\n
In Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill in May allowing cannabis lounges, which will take effect in early 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cA place for public cannabis consumption was a natural next step for Lowell Herb Co. For us, this signifies the real end of cannabis prohibition in California,\u201d Lowell Herb Co. CEO and co-founder David Elias told me. \u201cThis restaurant is a historic moment for the cannabis movement, and in steering the normalization of the plant for the country as a whole. As the first of its kind, we want to make sure we do this right, and set a good example for the industry. We are humbled to be leading the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2017, Elias founded The Hacienda, the parent company for Lowell Herb Co., turning it into the fastest-growing and best-selling cannabis brand in California. Known for its organic, sun-grown flower and perfect packs of pre-rolls, Lowell swiftly gained a cult following among the cannabis-friendly celebrity crowd. Last month, Lowell announced an A-list of new investors for its latest round including Miley Cyrus, Chris Rock, Mark Ronson and Sarah Silverman; it also received a strategic investment from MedMen in 2018. The company additionally unveiled a Social Justice Program last year, giving special employment consideration to nonviolent cannabis offenders and providing opportunities to those who have been affected by unjust cannabis laws. Participants in the program currently make up 8% of the company\u2019s workforce.<\/p>\n
The restaurant project cost roughly $3 million to open and is already Hollywood\u2019s hottest table; reservations \u2014 available 30 days in advance \u2014 are fully booked. A billboard emblazoned with \u201cEat, Drink, & Smoke Here\u201d hangs overhead the barn wood-covered building with lush landscaping leading the way to Lowell Caf\u00e9. Upon arrival, a faint smell of cannabis is apparent only when entering the building. Some neighbors were concerned marijuana odor would seep across the street, but Lowell, which developed the space in partnership with Los Angeles restaurant group Houston Hospitality, installed a casino-grade air purification system that\u2019s powerful enough to keep it contained.<\/p>\n
Inside, the 6,000-square-foot space features a dining room and lounge (open to the outside), and garden caf\u00e9 where farm-to-table fresh coffee, juice and cannabis is served seven days a week. A non-smoking patio is slated to open by the end of the year with the possibility of alcohol sales pending application approval from the state.<\/p>\n
As I was taken to my table for two in the Italian olive tree-covered garden, weed smoke wafted over me, evocative of an Amsterdam coffee shop. But when I sat down, I immediately realized Lowell Caf\u00e9 is how cannabis could and should be consumed. Paying homage to pre-Prohibition era cannabis \u201ctea pads,\u201d Lowell Caf\u00e9 celebrates the end of 100 years of prohibition and the future of cannabis enthusiasts finally having a place in this world.<\/p>\n
Executive chef and partner Andrea Drummer joined me for a brief chat and marveled, \u201cTo see people casually dining and ordering pre-rolls and smoking bongs, it\u2019s amazing. It\u2019s what it should be. Does it look odd to you? It\u2019s just normal, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Right. Drummer, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate, started working with Lowell on the project from the beginning after tapping the brand for dinners hosted through Elevation VIP, the cannabis cuisine cooperative she founded in 2012.<\/p>\n
Drummer said of her inspiration: \u201cFarm-to-table was the foundation, but you also see some of the subtle influences of my upbringing in the South and plays on my formal training. I wanted to do comfort foods \u2014 the go-to\u2019s once you consume cannabis.\u201d<\/p>\n
But her menu is far from standard munchies fare. Dishes range from $10 and $30 and are designed with flavor profiles to complement strains offered in-house. Drummer sources ingredients from local farmers markets for most menu items including: crispy Brussels sprouts and turnips dusted with spice blend and cojita cheese; tomato carpaccio with red onion, basil, and burrata; sticky confit wings with house-made tamarind glaze; and pulled pork shoulder with blueberry barbecue sauce, caramelized onion, and kale slaw.<\/p>\n
After I told the waiter I\u2019d like the vegan cauliflower bahn mi, Bianca Blanche, Lowell Caf\u00e9\u2019s managing flower host (think sommelier) stopped by to take my cannabis order. The extensive Lowell Caf\u00e9 cannabis menu covers a daily farm-fresh flower selection, cannabis-infused beverages and edibles, concentrates and oils. Even accouterments are available to rent for a small fee from a curated list of leading luxe accessory brands like Summerland Ceramics, Miwak Junior, PAX, Puffco, Session, and My Bud Vase.<\/p>\n
The team of 40 staff flower hosts come with a combination of dispensary and hospitality experience \u2014 an indicator of Lowell\u2019s commitment to consumer education. Guests are asked about their cannabis consumption habits before ordering to avoid the risk of over-indulging along with their personal preferences to help flower hosts guide each table through a safe, enjoyable session. Each section of the cannabis menu also includes an estimate of onset and duration times depending on the method you choose to imbibe.<\/p>\n
My pack of Lowell Smokes mini-joints in the Lucid Sativa blend was soon delivered on a gold tray. The strain is said to \u201csend you to the moon with joy\u201d and I am still feeling that historic high.<\/p>\n
Katie Shapiro can be reached at katie@katieshapiromedia.com<\/a> and followed on Twitter @bykatieshapiro.<\/p>\n