History shows that marijuana and art go very well together. Throw in food and you’ve just got a recipe for a damn good time, and luckily here in Denver, good weed, good art and good food are three things we’ve got no shortage of. So in the name of 420, we mapped out a “Stoner Artwalk” for everyone to enjoy — pairings of where to hit up a dispensary, grab some munchies and check out cool street art in five of Denver’s neighborhoods. Happy Holiday!
RiNo
Weed: Sweet Leaf Dispensary, 2609 Walnut St, Denver
Food: Denver Central Market, 2669 Larimer St, Denver
Art: On 27th between Larimer and Walnut along the street and also down the alleyway on this block, scattered down Larimer
The Lowdown: Stop by Sweet Leaf to grab some green then head down 27th towards Larimer to spot a few cool murals. Hang a right to stop in Central Market and grab a snack — we went for the I’m Peach Mint and Put the Lime in the Coconut ice cream from High Point Creamery — then check out the “boy and girl” on the 27th block of Larimer. The piece by Jeremy Burns changes faces as you walk from one side of the block to another, which is sure to be entertaining for someone slightly stoned.
Five Points
Weed: Denver Kush Club, 2615 Welton St, Denver
Food: Rosenberg’s Bagels, 725 E 26th Ave, Denver
Art: Up Welton and on the corner of Welton and 29th
The Lowdown: Grab some bud at Denver Kush Club then stop by Rosenberg’s for a famous New York bagel. We went for the egg bagel with plain cream cheese and jam, but the Frenchie (French toasted cinnamon raisin bagel, scrambled egg, sausage, cheddar cheese and drizzled with maple syrup) was a tempting choice as well. Head up Welton to see artist Javon the Unique’s Chikin mural and even stop in Station, a locally owned clothing and art store selling vintage ’90s goods, premium streetwear and local art. Take a left on 29th to see more art around the corner.
East Colfax
Weed: High Level Health Marijuana Dispensary, 2028 E Colfax Avenue
Food: Torta Grill, 1818 E. Colfax Ave, Denver
Art: Installation on corner of Williams and Colfax, mural on Abend Gallery building (intersection of York and Colfax)
The Lowdown: Check out the mural on the side of the Abend Gallery before heading down Colfax to High Level Health for some green. Then stop in Torta Grill for an amazing torta and a Jarrito (we went for mandarin flavor and the Pablo — ham, pineapple, pork loin, cheese) and check out the huge art installation across the street, which can be seen through the window while you grub.
Golden Triangle
Weed: Pure Marijuana Dispensary, 1133 Bannock St, Denver
Food: Parsley, 303 W 11th Ave, Denver and Metropolis Coffee, 300 W 11th Ave, Denver and Torchy’s Tacos, 1085 Broadway, Denver
Art: “Be A Good Person” mural, 1212 Delaware St, Denver
The Lowdown: You’ve likely got cotton mouth by now, so it’s an appropriate time for some drinkage. After hitting up Pure Marijuana, pick up a smoothie from Parsley (we had the strawberry banana, and the sandwiches here are great too if you’re still on the munchie train) or grab some coffee and/or tea from Metropolis across the street (the chai is fire). If you’re still hungry, stop by Torchy’s Tacos for some Austin style tacos. Make sure to try the Trailer Park taco. It’s a fried chicken and green chili taco, so you can’t go wrong. Make it “trashy” and they’ll put queso on it for you. Pro tip: skip the line and order while seated at the bar. From here, head up Cherokee and take a left on 12th, pass Dulce Vida and slide into the alleyway to check out the “Be a Good Person” mural, a collaboration between Denver’s Be A Good Person brand and artists Thomas Evans, Kirileigh Jones, Crispysz and Javon the Unique.
Sante Fe
Weed: RiverRock South, 990 W 6th Avenue
Food: El Taco De Mexico, 714 Santa Fe Drive
Art: “Love This City” outside of El Taco, alleyway directly east of the restaurant, scattered throughout Santa Fe Drive heading north
The Lowdown: Stop by RiverRock South for your weed then head up Santa Fe a block or so for some delicious, authentic tacos at El Taco De Mexico (the fried pork taco and horchata are to die for but the chile relleno burrito is legendary). Enjoy your munchies on the patio while admiring Pat Milbery’s “Love This City” mural, then head to the alleyway on the backside of the restaurant for tons of beautiful displays of public art. You can continue a stroll up Santa Fe for even more awesome artwork scattered throughout the arts district.
All photography by Sina Ghozati.