On the Menu: CBD

From cocktails to multi-course lunches, and at health-centric restaurants and cafes all over Los Angeles, CBD, or cannabidiol, the non-psychoactive ingredient in hemp products, is becoming a sought-after ingredient.

The restorative health effects – from soothing aches and pains to lifting mood and quelling anxiety, are getting better known, and the concept of adding CBD to food and drink is expanding.

At Spring in DTLA, the restaurant is serving up executive chef Tony Esnault’s Spring CBD Power Lunch. The three-course menu uses water-soluble CBD elixir and cold-pressed organic CBD Coconut Oil. Start with a choice of Mixed Green Salad with Farmer’s Market greens and preserved lemon vinaigrette, or the Carrot-Ginger Soup with celery, chervil, and crostini. Second-course choices include Beet Risotto, made with Carnaroli rice, pickled yellow beets, and Parmesan Reggiano. The dessert selection features Panna Cotta, a lush combination of Tahitian vanilla panna cotta, with mango, passion fruit coulis, and coconut sorbet or the Chocolate – a heady mix of bittersweet chocolate ganache, lemon-honey sorbet, citrus vinaigrette, and praline.

Spring uses a unique water-soluble Super CBD, free of GMOs, pesticides, gluten, soy, corn, and heavy metals. In addition to the CBD oil on Spring’s food menu, the organic elixir can be added to any cocktail. Coming soon: a planned CBD menu from Spring’s sister restaurant, Church and State.

At the upscale West Hollywood vegan-Mexican restaurant Gracias Madre, the CBD is in the beverages not the food. Mixologist Jason Eisner, along with beverage director Maxwell Reis, began the CBD-infused cocktail scene in LA back in 2016. Along with your blackened jackfruit carnitas tacos, try a Stoney Negroni, made with agave gin, black plum, apricot, yuzu, orange aperitif, and cannabinoids or the Sour T-iesel: tequila blanco, lime, agave, mint, matcha, aquafaba, and cannabinoids. A riff on the Old Fashioned, the Rolled-Fashioned adds CBD to a mix of mezcal anejo, bourbon, house sarsaparilla, and aromatic bitters.

And speaking of Mexican cuisine, downtown, Medtillas sells both traditional corn tortillas or hemp tortillas – non-psychoactive, of course. A family tortilla recipe is the focus of this casual restaurant, each is individually pan-fried, and the choice of tortilla type is yours. Potato or vegetarian tortillas packed with glorious veggies make a great lunch. To drink? Try Hemp2O, an organic vitamin drink beverage.

Across town in Santa Monica, the Aussie beach-vibe of Bondi Harvest is enhanced by the ability to add CBD oil to any of the cheerful café’s coffees, teas, and smoothies. Sip while indulging in a menu that includes toasts such as Wild Mushroom: foraged mushrooms, tabasco kale, ricotta, activated almonds; Avo Toast made with smashed avocado, topped with smoked paprika, micro herbs, sea salt, and olive oil; or tasty gluten-free Sweet Squash pancakes with avocado, mint, house-made gluten-free granola and berries, and shredded coconut. Now that’s a good day, mate.

And speaking of CBD-infused beverages, downtown adjoining the Broad, the elegant Otium’s bar director Chris Amirault has created the Pineapple Express, which combines gin, Campari, Lustau Vermut, vanilla syrup, and a dasher of Coconut CBD Oil Orange Twist.

Also downtown, at Pattern Bar, try delicious veg tapas while sipping the Armani, the stylish bar eatery’s signature CBD cocktail, made with Florentine elderflower liqueur, New Amsterdam gin, muddled lime, lemon, orange, and mint. The bar will add CDB to any cocktail for $5; that includes non-alcoholic drinks. And near Staples Center and LA Live, Prank Bar offers two drinks with CBD limonene terpenes. Limonene terpene is a type of CBD that has been shown to be beneficial in protecting against cancers and even in the treatment of breast cancer. Signature cocktails include the Mon Frere made with Plymouth gin, Cocchi Americano, limonene terpenes, and Regan’s orange bitters; and the Hilaria, which includes Papalote mezcal, sherry, watermelon, honeyed apricot, citrus, limonene terpenes, bitters, and herbs.

With three locations in Venice, Silver Lake, and Melrose Place, the sleek juice bar Moon Juice will add CBD to any drink for $3.50. They also offer Charlotte’s Web brand CBD oil for sale on site.

In a health-conscious town like Los Angeles, choices for CBD-infused drinks, juices, and bites will easily become increasingly available to suit any palate.