As you may have heard, there won’t be an official 420 celebration of cannabis and cannabis culture in Golden Gate Park this year. But that surely won’t stop you from celebrating your own way. And because cannabis has been available for recreational use in California since 2016, you probably already have your go-to shop, but in the same way that cocktail bars have different drink menus, you never know what you can discover when you branch out and try something new.
So, we’ve put together a list of our favorites, all of which offer quality and variety in oils, vapes, flowers, edibles, and everything in between, including a few consumption lounges, which, if you haven’t been to one before, is something we highly recommend you try at least once. But if you don’t want to be social, you can always hit up any of these shops and celebrate at home, where you’ll have easy access to the kitchen and DoorDash. However you plan to celebrate, now’s the time to pick up some goodies as you prepare for every stoner’s favorite holiday. And if you’re heading out of town, check out our guides to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Diego as well.
The Apothecarium
Various locations
The four Apothecariums sprinkled throughout SF and Berkeley (as well as Nevada and the East Coast) represent the sleek, high-end future of cannabis. Each one recalls the lobby of a stylish boutique hotel with the Marina location and its chandeliers and marble counters earning the unofficial award for “fanciest.” If you’re looking for one-on-one consultations with a knowledgeable budtender in an area that makes you feel like stoner royalty, this is your jam. Not only is the service impeccable, but the organization is committed to community engagement, hosts educational events for healthcare professionals and medical patients, and has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to community groups and nonprofits since 2011. Be sure to sign up for the rewards points program: Every pre-taxed dollar spent equals one point. Points are initially worth $5 per 100, but as you accumulate more, the value grows. All SF Apothecarium locations are open for in-store shopping, pickup, and delivery. You can schedule a free consultation via phone, web, or video. All locations are open daily from 9 am to 9:30 pm.
Authentic 415
Potrero Hill
SF native and former pro-boxer Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield grew up in the Fillmore and struggled to find a job because of an arrest and a weed charge when he was 18. Now, he owns a dispensary and says he not only wants to give people a trusted place to purchase a product he believes has numerous healing benefits but also to serve his community by “continuing the fight for social and racial justice in memory of [his] brother” who was killed by a BART transit cop in Oakland in 2018 (who was later found by a jury to have used unreasonable force). The store carries world-class products, including many from Black-owned brands, and is known for its excellent customer service and “not being complicated or overpriced.” Open seven days a week from 9 am to 9:45 pm for in-store shopping and pickup; stop by for a great experience.
Barbary Coast
SoMa
Modeled after Amsterdam coffee shops, which means you can partake inside, and recalling San Francisco’s Prohibition past, this lounge-like dispensary is doing its part to bring a bit of old-school SF glamour to the cannabis scene while offering state-of-the-art smoking, dabbing, and vaping tools, all of which are open for your cannabis-partaking enjoyment. You’ll find it all, including high-quality flowers, pre-rolls, premium vape cartridges, concentrates, edibles, topicals, and accessories. They even have comedy nights and free coffees and pastries in the morning. Barbary Coast is open for in-store shopping, consumption, and online pre-orders daily from 8 am to 9:45 pm.
Berner’s on Haight
Upper Haight
Haight Street may have been the go-to spot for headshops with all your paraphernalia needs for decades, but Berner’s was the first dispensary to arrive on our very own Shakedown Street and is only one of two today. The dispensary is a local collaboration between Shawn Richard, a partner of SF’s Cannabis Equity Program who was personally affected by the War on Drugs, and Berner, aka Gilbert Milam, who left Galileo High School to work in the cannabis industry in the 1990s working at SF’s Hemp Center medicinal cannabis dispensary. The dispensary offers more than 60 strains of flower, including Berner’s signature Cookies line, as well as a full menu of drinks, edibles, tinctures, vapes, and prerolls. Berner’s is open from 10 am to 10 pm Monday through Saturday and 11 am to 7 pm on Sunday for in-store shopping and pickup. Delivery is not available at this time.
Grass Roots
Lower Nob Hill
Located on the corner of Polk and Post, this discreet storefront feels a little like an under-the-radar dive bar in the best way. What really makes this place shine is its massive menu and the knowledgeable, friendly staff. All the budtenders are patient enough to hear what you’re looking for and can offer recommendations while guiding you to the best deals and values. Sign up for the rewards program to earn points you can redeem for discounts and giveaways, and be sure to check out their price match guarantee, which is an awesome way to get what you want while still supporting a small business. Grass Roots is open for in-store shopping and free delivery ($50 minimum). Store hours are 12 pm to 8 pm.
The Green Cross
Excelsior
A lot of SF dispensaries seem eager to shed weed’s hippie-stoner reputation with their crisp, white interiors and thorough professionalism. That’s understandable—and perhaps necessary for some—but if you’re looking for a more relaxed scene that looks a lot more like what you’d expect from a place where you buy cannabis (think: blacklights and trippy art), head to The Green Cross which, while no less professional, has a small-business vibe some of the posher dispensaries lack. It’s also community-focused and strives to promote social equity in the neighborhood, which, by shopping there, you’ll help support. The blacklight, neon, and psychedelic art are a little nod to a stoner side of yesteryear and set this spot apart from the pack. Cash only, but there’s an ATM on site. The Green Cross is open for in-store shopping and pickup. Store hours are 8:30 am to 9 pm, Monday through Saturday, and 8:30 am to 6 pm on Sunday.
Harborside
Various locations
We have Steve and Andrew DeAngelo, co-founders of Harborside and legendary cannabis activists and entrepreneurs, to thank for making cannabis safe and legal in California. The pioneering dispensary was the first anywhere to do cannabis lab testing, both for rigorous safety screening and potency analysis. They were also pioneers in supporting cannabis education for seniors, veterans, and families with severely ill children. Today, you’ll find an assortment of top-shelf products, including its proprietary cannabis grown in Monterey, and gear presented by a peacemaking, well-trained staff who are happy to answer as many questions as you may have. Join the “stash rewards” program for exclusive benefits and discounts. The Upper Haight location (across from Kezar) is open daily from 10 am to 9:30 pm, the Oakland shop from 10 am to 8 pm, and the San Leandro location from 7 am to 9 pm. There’s also a San Jose location for the South Bay folks. Delivery and pick-up are also available for all locations.
Medithrive
Mission
Medithrive first opened in 1996 as a medical cannabis dispensary and is the only one still around from that time, albeit with some rebranding. With that rebranding came some new technology—it is SF, after all—that uses a macro lens to project the flower on 4K monitors so that you can really take in the glory of the nug, as well as museum quality displays of the bud in glass domes under shining spotlights. There’s also a potent mix of health and wellness products like Canndescent vape cartridges and Releaf capsules from multi-time Cannabis Cup topicals winner Papa & Barkley. Medithrive is open for in-store shopping, pickup, and delivery ($50 minimum). Store hours are 9 am to 10 pm, seven days a week.
Mission Cannabis Club
Mission
Sometimes, you only need to pop into a dispensary and grab your go-to of choice. And other times, you want to partake and chill immediately. During those times, head to Mission Cannabis Club, where the knowledgeable staff can walk you through options based on your desired effects and then lead you to the lounge, where you can kick back and consume your purchase. Kick back and watch the game, charge your computer while you do some work, or unwind with like-minded folks who can freely partake at noon. Can’t blow off work mid-day? No worries. The lounge is open until 9:30 pm. Visit between 9 am and 10 pm for in-store shopping and pick-up or order for delivery between 11 am and 8 pm. Not in the Mission? Check out its sister locations, Russian Hill Cannabis Club, which offers a charming lounge overlooking a back garden, and Union Cannabis Club, which is just a dispensary, no lounge.
Moe Greens
Civic Center
This swanky cannabis destination is so much more than a dispensary. The 1,500-square-foot space has a mid-century speakeasy feel with dedicated areas for vaping, smoking in the dimly-lit “High Roller” room, and a dab lounge called “The Vault”. All tables even have USB ports and charges, plus fast Wi-Fi throughout if your WFH vibe is more smoke shop than coffee shop. It’s also an excellent spot for premium products with knowledgeable staff eager to help guide you and answer any questions. Moe Greens is open for in-store shopping, consumption, pickup, and delivery. Store hours are 9 am to 10 pm every day.
Posh Green Cannabis Boutique
Bayview-Hunters Point
The list of things to love about this dispensary is long, but at the top is that it’s a Black-, woman- and SF-native-owned shop and the first Equity Retail Cannabis Dispensary in San Francisco independently owned by a WOC. In fact, owner Reese Benton actually played an integral role in shaping San Francisco’s policy and framework for bringing equity to the city’s cannabis industry. We also love that the space clearly benefits from a woman’s touch. Dubbed the “Nordstrom of Cannabis,” the dispensary is more sophisticated than your average pot shop with navy walls, stylish furniture, brass accents throughout, and a high level of friendly and knowledgeable customer service to match. The products are top-shelf, and you can feel good about buying them because Posh Green makes it a point to support local farmers and greenhouse vendors. Looking for a deal? There are lots of daily deals (including 30% off store-wide on Mondays), a point for every dollar spent, and at 420 points, $40 toward your next purchase, and 5% off any new customer’s first order. Open for in-store shopping from 11 am to 8 pm, Monday through Friday, and Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm. Order pickup and delivery online. Delivery is available Monday through Saturday from 12 pm to 5 pm.
Sparc
Various locations
Kind bud meets technology at this sleek space that could almost be an Apple store if Apple stores had slightly less intense lighting. Even better, you’ll get the same care you would from the Genius Bar, and you can be sure that each product has been through rigorous testing for purity and strength. Peruse the extensive menu from a big screen behind the counter if you know what you’re after, or rely on the patient and knowledgeable staff to walk you through the offerings and explain the difference between the strains. Be sure to ask about the loyalty program to cash in on some excellent deals. The Haight Street and Polk Street stores are open for in-store shopping and pick-up from 10 am to 10 pm. Depending on location, you can also get free delivery with a minimum purchase.
Urbana
Various locations
Urbana is the kind of place you’d send your just-now-getting-into-cannabis mom to shop for the first time. It’s the perfect place to be introduced to the world of THC and CBD in their many forms. It feels familiar in a fancy boutique pharmacy and is full of friendly consultants to help you learn and find what works best for you, regardless of your knowledge or comfort level. Know precisely what you want? Urbana is also excellent for the seasoned shopper. Join the Belong loyalty program to earn points and learn about special deals. Urbana is open for in-store shopping, pickup, and delivery. Store hours are 10 am to 9 pm daily. (Full Story)