Inside the rise of THC-infused dining in Charlotte

Driving the news: Lawmakers this month quietly added a THC restriction to the federal funding bill that ended the government shutdown.

• The provision will ban the sale of any product containing more than 0.4mg of hemp-derived THC — effectively banning nearly all THC products currently on shelves in North Carolina.
• If it takes effect in November 2026, these types of dinners would become illegal.

Zoom in: "Danksgiving" was a collaboration between local dispensary Crowntown Cannabis and NoDa restaurant The Goodyear House.

• "Cannabis is my life, but it's more than getting high — it's about community," Crowntown Cannabis owner Michael Sims told diners.
• The meal was communal; we sat with several guests who had either attended a previous dinner or worked in the industry.

What to expect: Tickets were $125 and included four Thanksgiving-inspired courses, each paired with a themed drink. The full meal contained around 50mg of hemp-derived THC.

• Every dish contained THC; only every other drink did.
• Before each course, Chef Chris Coleman of The Goodyear House walked us through each dish and drink, which were infused with Loyal Oils, a local brand that specializes in THC syrups.
• All diners were also given CBD-CBG gummies to help mitigate the effects if we overconsumed.

Here's everything we tried at Danksgiving:

Course one: Grilled Kale & Chilled Green Bean Salad

Dig in: The dressing was infused with 7mg THC. Coleman described it as "green bean casserole taken apart and put back together as a salad."

Paired with: "Perfectly Paired," a vanilla and pear mocktail with orange juice and club soda.

Orange & Chili Glazed Pork Shoulder and Sweet Potato Tart

Dig in: About 9mg THC was split between the sauce and a toasted meringue.

• Coleman focused on local ingredients where possible — the pork and sweet potatoes were both from North Carolina.
• By this point, I was saving half of each dish for leftovers. As Sims reminded us: "A little goes a long way. You can always add more, but once you've eaten it, it's hard to take it away."
• As someone who rarely consumes THC, I knew my tolerance would be low.

Paired with: "Nothing Rhymes with Orange," a warm cider infused with Loyal Oils creamsicle syrup — reminiscent of a hot toddy.

Smoked Turkey and Stuffing

Dig in: Each dish was progressively dosed, and let me tell you, this one was heavily infused. I proactively popped the CBD-CBG gummy here.

Paired with: "Can You Believe It," a ginger cranberry mocktail made with Lenny Boy Kombucha.

Course four: Baked Apple with Cheddar Ice Cream

Dig in: Nothing says you've fully entered high territory quite like finishing with THC-infused cheddar ice cream over warm baked apples.

• It was as delicious as it was potent — a truly tricky feedback loop that I interrupted by calling my Uber.

Paired with: "High and Spiced," a mix of Loyal Oils' flavorless "Plain Jane," apple-cinnamon tea syrup, OJ and lemon.

What they're saying: "These dinners are a great alternative to alcohol. None of us are going to be hungover tomorrow — but we'll probably be hungry when we get home," Sims said as the evening wrapped up.

• Can confirm, both claims were true. I felt great the next day, but my leftovers didn't stand a chance.

What's next: Sims says the next dinner will happen early next year. The date and location are still TBD.

• If you're interested, you can email [email protected] or visit cltcbd.com to be notified of the next one.