WASHINGTON — The first licensed cannabis cafe in the U.S. opened Tuesday in California.
Chef Andrea Drummer, "the driving force behind Lowell Farms," will lead the culinary team there, Lowell Cafe said on its website. The restaurant touts Drummer's skills saying she has been creating high-end, cannabis-infused dishes for seven years and is known as one of the top cannabis chefs in Los Angeles.
The cafe does offer non-cannabis-infused choices as well, calling the menu a mix of unique and healthy dishes that are flavorful and complementary to the cannabis offerings.
Lowell Cafe, located in West Hollywood, says on its website that "for over a century we’ve been forced to hide cannabis consumption out of public view, but that time is now over." Lowell Cafe calls itself America’s first cannabis cafe and says it will be serving "farm fresh food, coffee, juice, and cannabis daily."
Customers are invited to enjoy a meal on the Lowell Cafe patio and "have a conversation and experience cannabis together" the cafe said.
If you're wondering if you can bring your own cannabis to Lowell Cafe, it will work similarly to rules at restaurants that charge a corkage fee to bring your own bottle of wine. At Lowell Cafe, you will be charged a $20 per-person "tokeage fee" to bring in outside cannabis.
Eater Los Angeles reports that Lowell Cafe has had to abide by an "awkward workaround" where the cafe will allow patrons to consume edibles produced by an outside source, but is not allowed to serve any cannabis-infused food made at the restaurant. Eater says chef Drummer "created dishes that complement cannabis, similar to pairing wine with food."
Lowell Cafe is now open and currently accepting walk-ups and reservations at its location in West Hollywood.
