Denver is well known for its green space, but every April it gets even greener with the arrival of 4/20.
The signature local event is, of course, the Mile High 420 Fest, which will bring Gucci Mane, Afroman, Big Boss Vette and a smattering of other musicians to Civic Center park. Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison will also be ablaze with tunes from Wiz Khalifa and Flatbush Zombies.
But 4/20 is as much about food as it is about cannabis and music. That’s why restaurants around the Front Range offer specials that often revolve around mind-bending flavor combinations. We’ve collected some of the more interesting items and discounts to satisfy your munchies.
Also check out this guide to Denver’s best stoner eats, curated by the guys from “Stoned Appetit” podcast.
Chill at the Alamo Dankhouse
This month, Alamo Drafthouse movie theaters on the Front Range show throwback flicks guaranteed to make you giggle. Through April 26, moviegoers can catch “The Big Lebowski,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” “Friday,” “Mallrats” and more on the big screen, while noshing on a special menu of munchies. Snacks include loaded mac-and-cheese topped with pulled pork and Funyuns; a chocolate parfait sprinkled with Cocoa Puffs cereal; and a “munchie crunch” that includes popcorn, cheese balls and Chex cereal seasoned with cool ranch flavoring.
Alamo Drafthouse has three local locations in Denver (4255 W. Colfax Ave.), Littleton (7301 S. Santa Fe. Dr., Unit #850) and Westminster (8905 Westminster Blvd.). Movies and showtimes/dates vary by location.
Ike’s THC sandwich
There are myriad ways to infuse your food with weed, but Ike’s Love & Sandwiches isn’t doing that to celebrate the high holiday. Instead, the local shops are rolling up turkey, honey and Cheetos sandwiches for their THC – get it? – special. Available now through May, the item features Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, cheddar cheese and your favorite veggies, and the turkey can be substituted for a vegan version of the deli meat. Even better, reward members get a $4.20 discount on their purchase.
The THC sandwich, created in partnership with WeedMaps, is available at Ike’s Love & Sandwiches in Denver (1512 Larimer St., Unit 40R and 8300 E. 36th Ave., Unit 130) and Highlands Ranch (1525 Park Central Dr., Suite 400).
Hit a bowl of ramen
Osaka Ramen, which was just crowned the Front Range’s best local ramen shop by readers of The Denver Post, is promoting a “loaded bowl” special for the holidaze. On Saturday, all ramen will be discounted to $14.20 and diners can add a side of mochi doughnuts or a can of IKEZO’s sparkling Sake “Jelly Shot” for an additional $4.20. Your choice on whether or not they go in your ramen or get consumed separately.
Light up a Baklava Blunt
Steuben’s (523 E. 17th Ave, Denver) will prepare a menu of munchies on Saturday that you might need to be in the right headspace to eat. We’re talking dill pickle chicken wings, pizza grilled cheese, baklava blunts, and Froot Loop martinis to name a few items.
A Cheba Hut collab with Cypress Hill
Cheba Hut sandwich shop embraces the stoner lifestyle year-round, so it’s no surprise the company is offering a 4/20 special. This year, it’s getting insane in the brain with help from hip-hop group Cypress Hill, which designed a cocktail for the occasion. The Low Rider cocktail ($7) is a twist on a spicy margarita featuring tequila, lime juice simple syrup, jalapenos, salt and lime. According to a Cheba Hut spokesperson, Cypress Hill wanted to design a drink they’d have before hitting the stage on tour. (I guess they got sick of the tequila sunrise.)
Pair the beverage with a Nug-size sub for just $4.20 on Saturday at Cheba Hut’s 17 locations along the Front Range. Additionally, Cypress Hill travels to Red Rocks Amphitheatre on April 27 as the supporting act for Sublime with Rome.
Dank beer releases from New Image Brewing Co.
New Image Brewing Co. has two lit beer offerings to celebrate 420 and depending on how you prefer to consume, you might gravitate towards one or the other. The first, Colorado Harvest, is for old-school flower heads. This West Coast-style IPA is made with dank hops and terpenes, offering the same aromatic punch as opening a jar of weed. The second beer, Sour Diesel Peachra, attempts to capture the essence of weed gummies. It starts with a sour beer base that’s then loaded with apricot and peach, Citra hops and a dose of sweet Gelato terpenes.
Both beers are available on draft ($8.50 per pint) and in four-packs ($17-$18) at New Image’s Arvada (5622 Yukon St.) and Wheat Ridge (9505 W. 44th Ave.) taprooms.
Grab bagels and beer in the high country
Coloradans headed to the high country – emphasis on high – should stop by Outer Range Brewing Co. (182 Lusher Ct., Frisco) for a pungent beer release paired with a nostalgic snack. The brewery will release Shrubby DIPA at 11 a.m. along with special themed merch. And then from 3 to 6 p.m., the soon-to-open Odell’s Bagels will pop up to serve pizza bagels. Yes, just like the kind you used to microwave in your youth, but probably better since they’re made fresh. At 4:20 p.m., the brewery will offer samples of the new beer to patrons onsite.
Get that Blue Dream ‘shake
On Saturday, plant-based eatery Meta Burgers will serve a Blue Dream milkshake ($8) inspired by the popular cannabis strain. The flavor is blueberry cheesecake made with oat milk and topped with green sprinkles. It’ll be available at both locations in Edgewater (5505 W. 20th Ave.) and Boulder (1905 29th St., #1174) while supplies last.
Weed chocolates (but not that kind)
Pineapple Express and Munchies are two new bonbon flavors from Temper Chocolates and Confections (2669 Larimer St., Denver). Don’t be fooled, there’s no cannabis in these sweets, but we can’t promise they won’t get you sugar high. The Pineapple Express includes pineapple, sage, caramelized white chocolate ganache in a milk chocolate shell, while the Munchies features milk chocolate, Nutella ganache with a soft brownie layer in a dark chocolate shell.
If you’re more of a Beyonce fan, try the “Cowboy Carter” inspired recipes, available through April.
More green beer
Briar Common Brewery & Eatery (2298 Clay St., Denver) makes a dank twist to its flagship Hoptimist IPA by adding cannabis and hop terpenes that “non-psychotropic but carry the full flavor and aroma of both sources’ shared genetics,” said head brewer Jacob Sabo. Its release is slated for Saturday.
Online deal from Mellow Mushroom
So you’re planning to order a pizza for dinner on 4/20? If you order from Mellow Mushroom, you can add a side of pretzel bites for $4.20. The bites feature the pizza joint’s signature dough tossed in garlic and cheese and each order comes with a side of PBR beer cheese (regular or spicy). Use the code MEL420 at checkout to get a piece of this deal.
