Vegan restaurant infuses THC into menu
MINNEAPOLIS – A new vegan restaurant in Minneapolis is offering a dining experience with a THC twist.
Hi Flora, which will have its grand opening in mid-July, offers plant-based cuisine with a side of hemp-derived, THC-infused drinks if customers choose. It's a nonalcoholic temperance bar that owner Heather Klein, who also operates Roots to Rise, hopes is distinct from other vegan options in the Twin Cities.
"There's a lot of great vegan establishments in the area that serve all kinds of wonderful food, but they're not 100% focused on plants and we wanted to focus on plants and really kind of bring that aspect of the vegan scene out," Klein said.
Customers can also purchase 5 milligram tinctures of THC, the compound that can produce a high, and add it to their food or drinks. Klein said there will eventually be different flavors so people can make their own unique pairings.
"It's a fun microdose experience for guests," she said.
Her restaurant is a new concept amid a cannabis craze fueled by THC edibles state lawmakers legalized last summer -- so long as it comes from hemp. This session, the DFL-led legislature also said OK to recreational marijuana, which will be legal Aug. 1, but the bill's authors crafted in a way to allow the continued sale of the lower-dose hemp products.
Hemp and marijuana are like cousins, but what makes them different is the amount of THC in each plant. The federal definition of hemp is no more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis. Minnesota's hemp edibles can have no more than 5 milligrams per serving and 50 milligrams per package.
"It allowed the doors to be opened to these fun, different aspects of the THC world and now that's being expanded even more," Klein said of the Minnesota law change last year. "So we were really excited to add that to our menu and have it available for people."
THC drinks now available in liquor stores
In addition to THC tinctures, Hi Flora's bar menu includes two THC-infused drinks from local breweries.
Bob Galligan, director of government industry relations for Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, said the new product has been a boon for some businesses, especially those still bouncing back after the pandemic.
"For a number of our brewers it's really, really helped them," Galligan said. "It turns out that a lot of them I think are finding that it really does sell and touches a different consumer than our normal actual clientele in the craft beer industry. So it's been super exciting."
The hemp edibles law kicked in to the surprise of many Minnesotans. There was no state licensing structure in place or special tax on the products beyond the regular state sales tax. Lawmakers added new rules, regulations, and taxes as part of the broader cannabis bill legalizing weed this year.
That includes allowing the sale of THC drinks at liquor stores.
Angie Heitz, wine director at North Loop Wine and Spirits, said their popularity is growing. The store offers a wide selection of drinks from local brewers and manufacturers.
"There's been a lot of interest," Heitz said." I think a lot of folks are sort of switching over, taking a little break from alcohol and going the THC route."
Galligan said the new law cleared up a lot of confusion about how businesses should operate in the new THC edibles space and he welcomes more robust regulations.
But there are still hurdles, he added, like working with insurance and payment processes. Some of these services won't work with cannabis businesses – even if hemp is legal at the federal level and the state will soon authorize marijuana
"I think a lot of people feel like the work is almost over like this is where we're at, this is what we're going to be operating. But at the end of day, the work has just begun" Galligan said. "Passing this bill was step one."
