264 Best of phoenix 2023 | WWW.bestofphoenix2023.c0m | septemBer 28, 2023 Best Dispensary Selection NATURE’S MEDICINE 2439 W. McDowell Road 602-669-3917 6840 Grand Ave., Glendale 623-301-8478 And other Valley locations naturesmedicines.com Nature’s Medicine began as a medicinal dispensary in 2014 under the watchful eye of former pharmacist Jigar Patel. With a keen focus on providing patients with the best of the best cannabis, the brand rose to prominence in Arizona. But just because Nature’s Medicine is no longer strictly medicinal, that doesn’t mean it has slacked off when it comes to lining its shelves with great products. In fact, with over 400 products to choose from, Nature’s Medicines has everything to cater to both the medicinal and recre- ational toker. Pick up prerolls, flower, concentrates and edibles of every type, from beverages and chocolates to gummies and syrups. Best Dispensary Waiting Room THE FLOWER SHOP 10827 S. 51st St. 480-500-5054 And other Valley locations theflowershopusa.com For businesses selling products often associated with chill, happy vibes, dispensary waiting rooms can be a major drag. Of course, waiting rooms make sense from a security standpoint, but as a customer, having to play a game of musical chairs while waiting for your name to be called can be a buzzkill. That’s why The Flower Shop in Ahwatukee took a different approach to designing its dispensary. The moment you walk into The Flower Shop, you’re met with a visual feast of weed-themed dioramas everywhere you look. From the hyper-girly display cases for the brand’s female-centric line Ladylike, to the wanderlust-inducing cases featuring High Variety products, it’s impossible not to be entertained. The dispensary’s open-concept design means you can freely explore the products without being confined — or pressured — to order from a paper menu without seeing the actual product. Best New Dispensary COOKIES 2715 S. Hardy Dr., Tempe 480-378-6917 tempe.cookies.co For Phoenix’s stoners, June 24 was a historic day, because it was the day Berner and his iconic brand, Cookies, came to town. Known internationally for its top-shelf flower, Cookies has been a pioneer in the cannabis industry. So, having a dispensary location in the Valley is a huge deal. Like Cookies’ other loca- tions across the country, Tempe is well stocked with over 200 options for deli flower. The store is even equipped with clever orbs that house samples of each strain so customers can view the nugs and even get a whiff of their delicious scent. If concentrates are more your gig, you’ll also find a hearty selection of rosin, resin, sauce, diamonds and vape pens. But if you just want to pop by and snag some dope swag, we won’t judge you — the branded merch is what’s up. Best Dispensary Deals for New Customers TRUMED 1613 N. 40th St. 602-275-1279 trumedaz.com Every dispensary has offers for new customers — often a discount or a free product sample — but TruMed takes the deals to a whole new level. First-time patients can snag a free ounce for making four purchases over $25 in 90 days, and veterans always receive 10% off their purchases. Once you fall in love with TruMed like we did, the loyalty program will help you save money and get, you guessed it, free product. Earn 4% store credit on every purchase, and for every $25 (pre-tax) you spend, you’ll get a $1 credit. Of course, all of this is in addition to weekly specials and promotions — both of which TruMed does a lot of. Best Sativa Flower DURBAN POISON The original Durban Poison strain can trace its roots all the way back to 1970s South Africa. Once American cultivator Ed Rosenthal brought it stateside, it took off like wildfire, quickly becoming a favorite of both medical and recreational tokers. Although Durban Poison’s earthy — and frankly somewhat skunky — aroma isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, this is a flower everyone should try at least once. Often reaching as much as 24% THC, Durban Poison is a strong sativa that induces a happy and creative head high. And with the state of the world right now, we could all use a little more happiness in our lives. Best Indica Flower NIGHTSHADE Finding a heavy-hitting indica that falls outside the usual suspects of Granddaddy Purple or Bubba Kush can be tough. That’s why Nightshade is such a gem. A cross between two indica strains — Kashmir and Nepali landrace — Nightshade is everything you’ve ever wanted in a highly potent indica. From the first tokes, Nightshade overtakes your brain with a creeping head high that quickly eliminates all negative thoughts swirling around between your ears. Just make sure you’re near a couch when you spark up, because it won’t be long before the sedative effects kick and you find yourself drooling on your pillow. Best Hybrid Flower GG4 GG4, also known as Gorilla Glue, or Original Glue, is an oldie-but-goodie strain. A cross between Chem’s Sister, Sour Dubb and Chocolate Diesel, GG4 is an indica-leaning hybrid that features caryophyllene as its dominant terpene. Research has shown caryophyllene helps relieve stress, anxiety and inflammation, so this is the perfect flower for winding down after an active day. And we’re not the only ones who love this pungent, earth strain. GG4 has taken first place in both the Michigan and Los Angeles 2014 Cannabis Cups, as well as the High Times Jamaican World Cup in 2015. Best Cartridge WATERMELON BUBBLE GUM TRU Infusion Kitchen truinfusion.com Let’s face it, a lot of cartridges don’t taste like their name indicates they should. Then again, we’re grateful that the MPX Melting Point Extracts’ Gas Pedal cart doesn’t taste like it sounds. But all jokes aside, TRU Infusion Kitchen’s Watermelon Bubble Gum cart is literally bursting with so much sweet watermelon goodness that you might think you’re tasting the real thing — and that has us hooked. The pleasure of taking a hit from this cart doesn’t stop with the flavor, either. The smoke was some of the smoothest we’ve seen and the high was quick and had us walking on sunshine as the THC washed our brains in bliss. Best Concentrates DRIP CONCENTRATES dripoils.com/products Drip’s concentrate line is locally made with the highest-quality cannabis directly from the company’s cultivation of
