KC’s budding cannabis dining scene: SWADE brings chef-driven infused dinners to Night Goat and The Westside Local
Photo courtesy The Westside Local
Kansas City’s dining scene has quietly been experimenting with cannabis-infused menus for the last couple of years, from intimate private chef tables to ticketed pop-ups blending THC with fine dining. Now, one of Missouri’s biggest cannabis brands is stepping into the local culinary ring with its own take.
SWADE Cannabis is launching its Best Buds infused dining series in Kansas City this fall, partnering with Night Goat Barbecue and The Westside Local to showcase what THC can look like in a chef-driven, restaurant-forward setting, without asking guests to trade flavor for novelty.
The series, titled Best Buds: Toasted Harvest, follows successful St. Louis pop-ups that featured some of the city’s most respected chefs. For Kansas City, SWADE tapped Chef Vaughn Good of Fox and Pearl and Night Goat Barbecue and Chef Julio Ventura of The Westside Local, keeping the approach clear: local, elevated, and approachable.
“We wanted to tie into existing restaurant communities and reach people where they’re at,” says Brandon Cavanagh, Director of Marketing at SWADE. “This is a way to expand our community presence and make infused dining approachable for everyone.”
Bringing cannabis to the table without the intimidation
Cannabis dining isn’t new to Kansas City, but SWADE’s approach is different: infused menus hosted inside established restaurants, where guests can choose their own adventure.
Instead of fully infused plates, each course includes optional THC additions using High Five’s STiRiBLES. A flavorless, controlled cannabis powder that chefs incorporate on the side.
“It’s structured so each dish has a five-milligram infusion option,” Cavanagh explains. “You can dip your toe in or go at your own pace, whether you’re a regular consumer or someone who hasn’t dabbled since college.”
Guests can enjoy a full evening with zero THC, or try up to around 20mg total, guided by staff and menu pacing. As for drinks, alcohol won’t be served. Instead, expect thoughtfully built zero-proof cocktails and infused mocktail options.
“We wanted this to feel natural,” Cavanagh says. “Like sitting down with friends and enjoying great food. Cannabis just happens to be part of the experience.”
Photo courtesy of Night Goat Barbeque
Two restaurants. Two vibes. One very KC moment.
Best Buds will debut with two distinctive Kansas City experiences that still speak the same language: comfort, creativity, and community.
On Saturday, November 8, Night Goat Barbecue, the cult-favorite concept tucked inside Fox & Pearl, will host a $40 infused barbecue lunch from Chef Vaughn Good, complete with smoked meats, seasonal sides, infused mocktails, and optional THC-laced sauces served on the side. It’s relaxed, soulful, and built for people who think barbecue is as close to religion as it gets in this town. “Night Goat barbecue came from my love of smoked meats and stoner metal,” Good says. “It’s going to be fun to bring it full circle and infuse my barbecue with THC.”
Then, on Monday, November 17, The Westside Local will welcome guests for a $95 family-style dinner led by Chef Julio Ventura. Expect warm hospitality, shareable seasonal dishes, thoughtful zero-proof drinks, and THC-optional welcome beverages, plus vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-friendly options. Staying true to its neighborhood ethos, the restaurant will also donate a portion of each ticket to The Last Prisoner Project, tying comfort food to cannabis justice. “Our food is meant for comfort and familiarity and perfect for the munchies,” the team says.
The Westside Local’s General Manager and Managing Partner, Nicki Lukin, says the team is thrilled to offer an infused dinner in a setting guests already know and trust. “We really want this to be a comfortable experience for a novice or an experienced cannabis user. This dinner will highlight that you can experience the same kind of night out with friends or family while consuming cannabis as opposed to alcohol,” she says.
Taken together, the two events feel like a snapshot of KC dining culture: barbecue, farm-driven comfort, community tables, and chefs who care deeply about what it means to feed people here.
Kansas City’s culinary-cannabis future
Kansas City has been inching toward cannabis-forward cuisine for a while, but Best Buds signals a new era where chefs and cannabis brands collaborate publicly, transparently, and with hospitality at the center.
By working with established Kansas City restaurants and chefs, Best Buds aims to introduce cannabis in a way that fits naturally into the city’s dining culture. The focus stays on good food, thoughtful service, and letting diners explore infused cuisine at their own pace.
Lukin sees this moment as part of a bigger shift ahead. “I definitely see more chefs and restaurants introducing infused dining experiences, and I hope we continue to do them as well,” she says. “I would love to see decriminalization, reclassification, and destigmatization of cannabis at the federal level, and maybe continuing to advocate and host dinners will help that come around.”
As Kansas City continues to expand its food identity, events like this suggest cannabis may have a place at the table — not as a headline, but as another way chefs and diners are choosing to experience food, flavor, and community together.
