San Francisco’s dispensaries are a direct reflection of the city itself; they tend to be boutiquey or more over the top than one would expect of a cannabis club. Like lots of San Francisco, everything feels very new. Across the bridge on the other side of the bay, however, things could not be more different. Berkeley is home to two of the oldest marijuana dispensaries in the country, and the region has, for the most part, put function over form. Delivery options are plentiful, and while the dispensaries may not look as good on an Instagram as their SF counterparts, they serve their purpose just as well, and often at a better price.
Courtesy of Berkeley Patients Group
Berkeley Patients Group
2366 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley
Historic spot with a focus on giving back to the community
Berkeley Patients Group, providing medical cannabis as far back as 1999, is the self-proclaimed oldest medical cannabis dispensary in the nation. Lucky for us, they have their recreational license and have opened their doors to anyone of appropriate age. This is basically the Cheers of dispensaries: a community staple where everybody knows your name. And if their quality product doesn’t have you feeling perfectly right (which it most definitely will), you can take solace in the fact that you are supporting a business that has spent nearly 20 years giving back to Berkeley organizations such as Berkeley Food & Housing Project, Transgender Law Center, and Parents 4 Pot, just to name a few.
Courtesy of Harborside
Harborside
1840 Embarcadero, Oakland
One of the largest dispensaries in the country provides more than just a rich inventory.
People travel from all over for access to the massive inventory Harborside