Recreational marijuana isn’t legal in Houston but the city has a strong cannabis culture and a real affinity for all things weed-related. That’s why it’s a little surprising H-town hasn’t boasted the “toasted” subs of Cheba Hut until this week. Thanks to a local couple, the 24 year-old cannabis-themed restaurant chain headquartered in Colorado is finally adding Houston to its ranks.shop, located at 2150 Edwards Street in Sawyer Yards, opened Monday, April 18.
“This is our first go at it,” said Raj Gandhi, of the couple’s foray into the restaurant business. “We bought the rights to three restaurants here in Houston. Obviously, this is our first. We plan to put the second one either in Montrose or in Midtown as part of our five-year plan.”The Gandhis are Kingwood-area residents who spent a good deal of time planning this week’s opening.
“That’s part of the reason we picked this particular place, is because of the arts scene,” Raj chimed in. “Being the fourth largest arts district in the nation, I didn’t know that until we did some research in this area, and there’s 400 arts studios all pretty much within walking distance of this place. This kind of culture is going to fit really well here.”
Part of the fun is spotting all the weed-culture notes in the restaurant. There are green lights glowing beneath the bar to set ambiance, a painting of a spliff-puffing Mona Lisa and, most notably, an array of menu items named after actual strains of weed and other staples of cannabis culture. We asked which subs we should try and in what sizes. A 4-inch sub is a “nug” and goes for $6.49. The 8-inch variety is a “pinner” and runs $10.39 and the “blunt,” the shop’s foot-long offering, costs $13.
For munchies, we tried a stoner’s delight dubbed Loaded Not’Chos, your standard melted cheese with jalapenos, teamed with onions and black olives all atop nacho cheese Doritos, with a drizzle of ranch and hot sauce, like something a gourmet smoker would concoct at 3 a.m. Also perfect with the beers from Saint Arnold and Eureka Heights we chose.
Ashley Gandhi took us through the restaurant’s 4/20 specials. She said they’re expecting a large crowd and they’ll have a DJ spinning from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.