7 Sweet Dispensaries to check out in Boston
We recently toured Boston area cannabis dispensaries to check out the what Bay State had to offer in terms of medical cannabis stores and recreational locations. Massachusetts is just one of the New England states that now allows adult use cannabis sales. The Greater Boston area has a wide variety of locations, that feature clean environments, strong product selection, and knowledgeable budtenders ready to help.
All of the dispensaries we visited felt like legitimate businesses that could be selling any product, even though, in this case, it’s weed. They all felt safe and created a welcoming environment where one doesn’t have to feel nervous about approaching.
We visited recreational locations that also serve those with medicinal cards too.
Ethos Watertown
We really enjoyed our visit to Ethos Watertown. The friendly greeters by the door make everyone feel special, and the staff goes above and beyond to ensure a great experience.
The Watertown location offers medical and recreational cannabis. Customers can purchase pre-rolls, flower, vaporizers, concentrates, edibles and more.
Ethos Dispensaries carries brands like Trulieve, Incredibles, Ace Weidman’s, Cresco, Natural Selections and more.
Ethos not only says they are involved with the community, they back it up. When you visit please ask about the local art! They display local artists works and also rally around a cause each month so they bring awareness.
Ethos’s other Massachusetts locations can be found in Fitchburg and Dorchester.
Ethos also has dispensaries in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Ethos Cannabis
390 Arsenal St
Watertown, MA 02472
Monday-Saturday 10a-8p, Sunday 10a-5p
Ascend Boston
Ascend has an awesome location, just blocks away from the Boston Garden in the City of Boston. We’re guessing there are lines out the door around Celtics and Bruins games. A quick walk from Faneuil Hall doesn’t hurt too! The first thing we noticed was that the doormen were super friendly. They even offered up some of their water when I was waiting for an Uber! The lower level is used for pre-order pickup and the upstairs level was where you can browse, ask questions and purchase.
They had a nice supply of brands and methods of intake.
Ascend sells flower, pre-rolls, vaporizers, oils, edibles, topicals, concentrates and accessories. In addition to in-house brands like Simply Herb and Ozone, they also carry Miss Grass, Edie Parker, Rythm (and other GTI Brands), Kiva, and Levia.
This Acend store offers walkup, preorder and delivery. This store was an adult use location.
Other Ascend Wellness Massachusetts locations can be found in Newton (and New Bedford is coming).
AWH is not just a Massachusetts brand. They have operations in five other states including Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Ascend Cannabis Dispensary Boston
272 Friend St
Boston, MA 02114
Sun-Sat 9a-9p
AYR Wellness
We were fortunate enough to be in town just as the Back Bay and Watertown dispensaries were opening.
The Back Bay location is nestled on Boylston Street, right across the street from the Prudential Center and about a block from the Boston Public Library.
The Watertown location sits on Beacon Street near Galen.
At both locations staff were helpful and excited about the store launches.
While the Boston location is recreational, Watertown service medicinal patients and adult use customers. Medical patients will need their Massachusetts medical marijuana card.
Both stores feature the standard assortment of prerolls, flower, concentrates, edibles, vaporizer and more. You can find Roadtripper, Kind, Styx, Wicked, Origyn, Puffco, Pax, Route 90 and more at the AYR Wellness locations.
If you’re short on money, AYR locations typically have an ATM and can accept debit cards.
Other AYR Massachusetts cannabis shops run under the Sira Naturals brand and are located in Somerville and Needham (both Medical only).
AYR also has cannabis dispensary locations in Pennsylvania, Florida (Liberty Health Sciences, New Jersey (Garden State Dispensary), Arizona (Oasis) and Nevada (The Dispensary in Las Vegas and Mynt in th Reno area).
AYR Wellness Watertown
48 N Beacon St
Watertown, MA 02472
Sun-Sat 10a-8p
Bud’s Goods
Bud’s Goods is a dispensary located along route just on the outskirts of Watertown.
Bud’s has a unique footprint with a wide selection of products. This cannabis company has set up the store in pod like sections where the customer is able to learn more about the brands.
Like the other Boston area shops, Bud’s sells vapes, carts, flower, edibles, topicals, and more.
Bud’s Everyday Flower has a nice selection of strains- sativas, indicas, and hybrids. That said, it’s really the brand displays that stand out in this shopping experience.
We found 1906, Garcia’s Handpicked, Insa, and Happy Valley.
They also have the Papi brand of cannabis. Papi is no stranger to the many Red Sox fans in the area.
Bud’s Goods
330 Pleasant St
Watertown, MA
Sunday- Saturday: 10am-8pm
Zen Leaf Sharon
Zen Leaf in Sharon is just off Route 1 between Walpole and Foxboro, just a stone’s throw from Gillette Stadium. You may have trouble seeing it if you’re not looking hard. It”s located in a more commercial looking area (more so than retail), but once you enter you feel the premium retail experience. Staff were kind and answered questions thoroughly.
This Sharon location services both medical patients and rec customers. Form factors include edibles, flower, pre-rolls, concentrates and more.
Brands in Sharon include Cresco, Garden Remedies, Betty’s Edibles, Grassroots and more.
There is another Bay State Zen Leaf store in Plymouth. Verano, one of the cannabis industry leaders, also has Zen Leaf locations in Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and Ohio. Verano also has the MUV brands in Florida.
Zen Leaf Sharon
2 Merchant St Ste 1
Sharon, MA 02067
Open Sun-Sat 10a-8p
Sunnyside Framingham
Perched on Route 9 in Framingham is Sunnyside’s dispensary. Not as big as the other dispensaries we saw, but making up for it with personality. The team was very friendly, greeting us immediately as we walked in and quickly answering our questions.
An easy to navigate queue makes it easy to get in and out with your cannabis products. This location serves medical and adult use customers.
Sunnyside features its own Cresco brand as well as products from Highsman (Ricky Williams brand), Insa, High Supply and others.
There’s a wide variety of products at the Sunnyside store in vapes, flowers, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, beverages and others!
If you’re not in Massachusetts, you can find Sunnyside locations in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Sunnyside Framingham
250 Worcester Rd
Framingham, MA 01702
Sun-Sat 9a-9p
Trulieve Framingham
Framingham is also the Massachusetts home of Florida based Trulieve.
The store had a wide selection of products and an area set up for education/displays.
Trulieve is known for their experienced professionals and flower product lines. A recent glance at their menu showed 30+ cannabis strains ready for purchase.
Trulieve has it’s own products in addition to Fernway, Bhang, Binkse and more
Trulieve Framingham
85 Worcester Rd
Framingham, MA 01702
Mon-Sat 10a-8p, Sun 10a-6p
What’s you favorite dispensary in Boston?
On our next visit we’ll hopefully visit stores like Berkshire Roots, Pure Oasis, Neta Brookline, In Good Health, Alternative Therapies Group, Triple M, Northeast Alternatives
What other Boston areas have a lot of dispensaries?
Jamaica Plain, Fall River
Do you need a medical card to buy weed in Massachusetts
No, you don’t need to have a medical marijuana card to buy cannabis in Massachusetts.
However, some Massachusetts cannabis companies only sell to medical patients. Others offer discounts, higher limits, and additional services (like delivery) to their medical customers.
What’s the difference between medical marijuana and recreational marijuana in Massachusetts?
There’s no difference in the product itself. Medical marijuana patients have been approved by a qualified physician and have a medical card. With the card, those patients may qualify for benefits that “recreational/adult use”, ie non-card holders can’t access.
Can you smoke weed in public in Massachusetts?
No. Although cannabis is legal, you still cannot smoke in public. And be careful, there are some locations where you can’t consume any cannabis (like near schools).
