There are a lot of dispensaries in New York, but these three are the ones we send friends to when they visit. Each does something a little different, and together they cover most of what a serious cannabis shopper is looking for.
For craft flower
If you care about terps more than THC percentages, skip the chains and head for the small shop with a glass counter and jars labeled by batch. The buyers there taste through everything before it hits the shelf, and you'll leave with something that actually smells like it should.
For edibles
Most dispensaries stock the same handful of national brands. The standout in New York is the shop that carries the local pastry-trained edible maker — gummies that taste like actual fruit and chocolates with a proper snap. Ask for a 5mg or 10mg option if you're new.
For the right budtender
Whichever shop has the employee whose name your friends keep mentioning. A good budtender is worth more than a low price — they'll steer you away from what's not worth your money and point out the jars that don't look like much but smoke like a dream.