The 650 Guide to legal marijuana on (and around) the SF Peninsula
Insider insight on the where, when and how to “blaze it” around Silicon Valley
Call it what you will—cannabis, weed, pot, bud, ganj, Mary Jane (just don’t say “grass” if you’re younger than 50)—marijuana has come a very long way since the Dude last lit up.
Not only has cannabis been legalized in the State of California, but it’s also seen an increase in product variety and potency. In fact, cannabis today barely resembles the crumbly green buds that your one cool uncle smoked in high school. Marijuana has gone boutique, and with so many options available — from various vape pens to high-end edibles— it can be hard to know where or what to buy.
For your convenience, the Six Fifty has done some arduous first-hand research to assemble this heady guide to recreational cannabis on and around the SF Peninsula.
The Legal Stuff
With legalization came ambiguity. While most Californians are probably aware of the change, few seem to know the specifics. So before we dive in on where to buy, here is a quick rundown on the legal front.
As of January 2018, cannabis can be sold in California by licensed recreational dispensaries. Persons with government identification proving that they are 21 or older may possess and use up to 28.5 grams (one ounce) of flower (well—buds) or 8 grams of concentrate (essentially just a lump of stony chemicals extracted from the marijuana plant). Edibles are similarly regulated by the amount of THC and/or CBD that they contain.
While the state’s laws are relatively simple, each city in California has the ability to specifically regulate the particulars of how legal marijuana is sold and consumed within their jurisdiction. Here in San Mateo County, city laws essentially adhere to California state law regarding consumption. Basically, don’t smoke in public — especially near schools — or where tobacco smoking is already prohibited. Smoking in multi-family housing, such as an apartment complex, is also banned through essentially the entire Peninsula area. Also, your landlord can still prevent you from smoking in a rented stand-alone home or residence. We recommend double-checking your lease before smoking.
Most notably, San Mateo County has taken a more rigid view of how marijuana is sold—especially when compared to its neighbors in San Francisco and Santa Clara counties—by prohibiting cannabis business storefronts. Essentially, you can’t walk into a dispensary and shop Bed, Bath & Beyond-style for marijuana products. (Mountain View, however, is currently in the process of amending the city’s marijuana business regulations, but locals remain split on the matter.)
Finally, it is worth keeping in mind that the possession or consumption of cannabis or cannabis-infused goods is still illegal under federal law (so don’t light up on Alcatraz).
Delivery services: your best bet for the Peninsula
When it comes to your options on the Peninsula, the good news is that there are a plethora of delivery services that operate just like a dispensary minus the physical store location. Think of it like GrubHub, but with weed.
The downside to delivery services is that you won’t get the face-to-face attention you might want from a dispensary’s customer service. Still, calling and asking a budtender for a recommendation from their menu is always worth a shot. You can also have a look around the web on a site like Leafly, which is dedicated to cataloging thousands of cannabis strains and educating readers on legal cannabis use in general.
Weedmaps is one of the most comprehensive marijuana-acquisition websites available. Like Leafly, the Weedmaps Learn page is a treasure trove of information about everything from laws to lingo. Weedmaps also shows customer reviews, delivery menus and special promotions for each dispensary and delivery service listed on their website. Many delivery services list their contact information and link to their website from Weedmaps, allowing users to order online or over the phone.
A third option is Eaze, a company with California offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles that delivers cannabis products within legal areas statewide. Unlike some of the smaller delivery operations available on the Peninsula, Eaze can deliver pretty much anywhere in the 650 and carries a curated selection of the many products usually available from storefront dispensaries. Prices for flower range from the $15 eighth (3.5 grams) of Old Pal Shareable Flower to the $100 bliss pen from dosist, a company that specializes in vaporizers that measure precise dosages of the company’s cannabis formulas. Eaze has a minimum order value of $25, making the service a good option for patients who consume less cannabis than others.
While the options listed above are all valid resources for finding a delivery service, we thought we’d include some of our own recommendations based on delivery service area, ratings and reviews from across the Internet, and the variety of available products.
Higher Ground Delivery — San Mateo
Higher Ground delivers organic, Clean Green Certified marijuana grown in Mendocino County to the entire Bay Area — as well as the usual assortment of brand-name flower, concentrate vape pods and edibles. Higher Ground also carries Rick Simpson Oil, an extremely potent type of high-CBD concentrate that is popular with patients seeking cannabis for medical purposes. Delivery hours are 10am to 11pm every day. Orders must be for at least $99 worth of product and can be paid for with cash, cashier’s checks or Bitcoin.
Bento — Locations throughout the Peninsula
Bento has a reputation for high-quality, brand-name products. Plus, if you schedule your order with them a day in advance, they’ll knock 10% off the cost of your goodies. Bento operates from 10am to 9:30pm and, at $45 for a minimum order, is a great option for patients who don’t want to buy a larger quantity of products. On the Peninsula, Bento is available to residents of South San Francisco, San Mateo, Redwood City, Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale. Payment can be made with credit card or cash.
The Loaded Bowl — South San Francisco
The big draw of The Loaded Bowl is their $100 Loaded Deal. The deal includes a combo of solid-quality flower from Sonoma County and Julian Marley’s own organic cannabis brand, as well as two bags of edibles by Mellow. Also, in true Bay Area form, you can pay your delivery driver using Venmo or cash. The Loaded Bowl operates from 10am to 10pm from Wednesday through Monday and has a $50 minimum order for delivery.
Harvest Bloom — Palo Alto
Harvest Bloom, which advertises itself as a “boutique canna-delivery” service, prides itself on its experienced staff and sustainably sourced flower. The company has been serving patients in the Bay Area for twelve years with “the most consistent and premier grades of organic original strains [of cannabis].” Harvest Bloom currently delivers to San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. The minimum order for most towns is $50 but jumps up to $100 if the delivery location is in San Bruno or south of State Highway 85 (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Campbell). Delivery hours are 10am-10pm Monday through Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sundays. Payments can be made with cash or card.
Buzz Delivery — San Bruno and San Mateo
Buzz Delivery is notable for its very reasonably priced flower and concentrates sourced from pesticide- and fungicide-free suppliers. Deliveries require a $50 minimum purchase for San Francisco, San Bruno, Oakland, Daly City, San Mateo, Emeryville, South San Francisco, Burlingame and Berkeley, and a $75 minimum for Hillsborough, El Cerrito and Redwood City. Orders can be placed form 12pm to 8pm every day. Payment can be made with cash or card.
Outside the Six-Fifty
For those who want the full dispensary experience, the Bay Area offers dozens of top-quality storefront options — most of which are within reasonable driving distance of the 650. Below, we highlight some of our favorites.
Airfield Supply Company — San José
Think of it like a farm-to-table restaurant. Airfield Supply Company, which was originally founded to cater to medical marijuana patients before opening its doors to the recreational crowd, features its own cannabis plant nursery. Patients can watch the staff tend to the mother plants before the clones are moved upstairs to a specialized growing room. Airfield hosts a happy hour on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm.
Airfield Supply Co. // 1190 Coleman Ave, San Jose; 408.320.0230
Purple Lotus — San José
Purple Lotus is a large, purple building on the north side of San José with ample parking, over 100 different cannabis products, and an expert staff. They also offer a new-member special, which comes with a series of discounts that increase from 15 to 25 percent for the first three visits. Purple Lotus makes a point of staying active in the San José community and has been involved with coat drives, food delivery to the homeless and fundraisers for Catholic Charities Refugee Foster Care program, PAWS Seizure Response Dogs and the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes program over the years.
Purple Lotus Patient Center // 52 Commercial St, San Jose; 408.456.0420
La Corona Wellness — San Francisco (Mission-Bernal Heights)
Located on Mission and 29th, La Corona was once a local watering hole called the Coronitas Bar and Grill. Now, under the guidance of Mission local Jorge Esparza and his team, it serves as one of the Mission Districts premier centers for cannabis. La Corona’s location also includes a gallery featuring work by local artists.
La Corona Wellness //3326 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110; 415.926.5982
Harvest — San Francisco (Richmond District and Bernal Heights)
Since the legalization of cannabis products, some dispensaries have framed themselves as more than just retail spaces. Harvest, as well as other storefronts throughout the City, offers not only the high-quality products patients have come to expect from the Bay’s cannabis industry, but also a safe space in which to consume those products. Both Harvest locations feature a social lounge where paying members can consume their cannabis products during business hours. Other member benefits include members-only classes, events and product launch parties, as well as early access to rare and limited products.
Harvest on Geary//4811 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118; 415.702.6767
Harvest Off Mission//33 29th St, San Francisco, CA 94110; 415.814.3273
Bloom Room Collective — San Francisco (Mid-Market)
Like Harvest, the Bloom Room Collective leans heavily on the appeal of its lounge space and member benefits to create a community comprised of dispensary patients. Membership comes with access to free massages, members-only art events, educational workshops, volunteer opportunities and invitations to product demonstrations at the dispensary. Plus, members get access to the Bloom Room’s vapor lounge, which comes equipped with several Volcano Vaporizers — a state of the art, German-made vaporization unit. Also — and this is a rare perk — registration for membership is free.
Bloom Room Collective// 471 Jessie St, San Francisco, CA 94103; 415.543.7666
East Bay Therapeutics — Emeryville
Located just north of Oakland, East Bay Therapeutics offers some of the most comprehensive edible cannabis service in the Bay Area. Events include a weekend brunch service (featuring non-cannabis foods and cannabis-infused sauces and condiments), a daily cannabis tasting bar (featuring cannabis-infused cocktails and edibles) and therapeutic services like yoga or guided meditation.
East Bay Therapeutics// 5745 Peladeau St. Emeryville, CA 94608; 510.925.1266
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