Swade Cannabis’ infused dining series Best Buds is returning for its latest installment, this time taking over Extra Wavy just outside Lafayette Square on Monday, Sept. 14.
Launched in April 2024, Best Buds has brought together St. Louis restaurants and cannabis for a series of infused dining experiences. The next dinner will feature five courses of Extra Wavy favorites, including its lobster donut, crab pasta and crudos, paired with THC-infused nonalcoholic cocktails created by Extra Wavy co-owner and bartender extraordinaire Tim Wiggins.
For Wiggins, the collaboration was an opportunity to approach the traditional ticketed dinner differently.
“Brandon [Cavanagh] reached out about doing a collaboration and I was stoked on the idea,” Wiggins said. “In my mind, there are plenty of serious and traditional ticketed dinners, and I wanted to make sure this was not that.”
That same spirit extends to the drinks. Rather than treating the nonalcoholic offerings as an afterthought, Wiggins wanted the THC-infused cocktails to hold their own alongside the food.
“Using THC in non-alcoholic cocktails was an exciting challenge and it caters to a large group of people that want a fun, social and delicious dinner without alcohol,” he said.
Wiggins said he approached the beverage menu with the same attention he would give a traditional cocktail program.
“Non-alcoholic cocktails can often be an afterthought,” he said. “Often just an uncreative combination of juice, syrup and soda. At Best Buds I wanted the beverages to be as exciting as full proof cocktails.”
The response to Best Buds so far has convinced Wiggins that infused dining has staying power.
“The support and response from the community has been awesome,” he said. “I don’t think THC infused dinners are a fad or something that is going away anytime soon.”
Tickets for the Sept. 14 Best Buds dinner are available through OpenTable with seatings at 5:30 and 7:15 p.m.
