Hot, Fresh, and Infused: Full-Service Medical Cannabis Kitchen Coming to Tempe

Mint Dispensary just put a new spin on the idea of a food joint.

The Tempe company says it will launch "the country's first full-service cannabis kitchen" on Friday, October 5, offering THC-infused burgers, breakfast, street tacos, and fresh food to medical marijuana patients.

With a real chef creating the recipes, Mint vows to take edible cannabis far from the traditional pot brownie or gummies, giving more options to patients who find it preferable to eat or drink their medicine.

"We saw a large unmet need from patients who were regularly visiting our dispensary," Eivan Shahara, CEO of Mint Dispensary said in a prepared statement. "We know that the right kinds of healthy foods can help people to battle a variety of illnesses, from cancer and epilepsy to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. We’re using our knowledge about food and nutrition to help patients in their search for fresh, healthy snacks and infused meals."

The company said it will put a full menu online when the kitchen opens.

Carylann Principal, a cancer survivor hired as the dispensary's executive chef, was quoted as saying, "It’s a place where art meets science. In addition to understanding the variety of flavors that different cannabis strains can add to any dish, we’re also carefully calculating customized cannabis doses."

Principal and a small crew will make and prepare the new line of edibles while the dispensary is open, but one thing to remember: All the food is take-away. Patients likely wouldn't want to wait until an edible's THC kicks in before getting behind the wheel — there's no sleeping all night in this soul kitchen.

Most infused edibles use resin extracts from cannabis, meaning a menu change could be coming soon if the Arizona Supreme Court doesn't overturn the state Court of Appeals ban on extracts.