Wilson, who is originally from Mississippi and moved to Colorado in 2011, launched the Stoned Appetit podcast in 2018, gaining a fast following with his enthusiastic support of two passions: cannabis and good food. "Our whole premise is to put you on local dank-ass eats. No frills, all flavor," says Wilson.
Ahead of 4/20 last year, we shared some of Wilson's favorite eats just as he'd quit his day job to concentrate on Stoned Appetit full-time. Now, one year later, "I'm proud about how far we've come. I think the key is to keep your focus and your ethos," he says. "We have a lot of conversations about not sacrificing. We support the restaurants and the people we believe in in this community. I'm living the fucking dream. It's pretty wild."
The venture has grown far beyond the podcast, with efforts like the Stoned Appetit March Madness bracket, which garnered thousands of votes as chef Penelope Wong's Yuan Wonton took the trophy this time around. Stoned Appetit also launched a dinner series, and a new merch line inspired by places that Wilson and co-host Chris Byard grew up enjoying, like Cracker Barrel.
Byard has also taken on some new endeavors in the past year, including helping to cover the city's food truck scene as a Westword contributor; he joined in the conversation to share some of his stoned food favorites as well.
"I based mine off the different types of high," Byard notes.
"Situational buzzes," Wilson adds.
Here are Stoned Appetit's recommendations for the best places to dine while high in the Mile High:
Bocaza Mexican Grille
4660 Peoria Street
303-574-1960
bocazadenver.com
Those in the Uptown neighborhood mourned the loss of Bocaza when it moved out of its longtime home on East 17th Avenue, but it's still serving some of the best cheap Mexican fare in town out of its Peoria Street outpost — which, Wilson notes, is perfect for the stoner who's stuck doing an airport run. "It's the best breakfast burrito in the city," he declares. "You can turn and burn — it's meant for the road warrior."
Bourbon Grill
571 East Colfax Avenue
303-355-3821
bourbongrilltogo.com
This one's for the nostalgic high — those times when you want something familiar and consistent. While Byard, like many in the city, still salivates over memories of Tom's Home Cooking (if you know, you know), he gets another kind of comfort-food fix at this Colfax staple. Once a bare-bones walk-up window, Bourbon Grill moved to a bigger location a few years ago, but "you still get so much bang for your buck," Byard says of the heaping serving of its signature item, bourbon chicken over rice. "And your sides are key. Obviously the mac and cheese, but also the steamed cabbage. Don't ask me why, but just douse it in hot sauce."
The mozzarella sticks at Knox are hand-cut.
Stoned Appeti
100 Knox Court
720-410-5669
knoxpizza.com
Because the cheese-craving high is such a common occurrence, Wilson spent much of 2022 on a "mozz hunt," as he dubs it, in search of standout mozzarella sticks. He found them at Knox Pizza & Tap, which specializes in "northeastern New York-style slices," he says. "While you may be there for the pizza or the sandwiches, get the cheese sticks. They're fresh-cut. You can see it, because the sizes are all different. But what you get every time is a fresh dredge and a fresh batch. They are definitely upper-echelon."
New Image Brewing/Social Dough
9505 West 44th Avenue, Wheat Ridge
720-900-5622
nibrewing.com
While New Image also has a tasting room in Arvada, Byard loves the Wheat Ridge outpost of this brewery when he's looking for an ideal place for the Sunday recovery high, because it's also home to Social Dough. "It's a great one-two punch where you can grab some really good pizza and a tasty beer," he says. Pie options include fun combos like the High Society, with Brie and fig spread, or the Reap What Ya Dough, with a Carolina Reaper peach sauce, chicken, red bell peppers, pineapple, green onion and cilantro. The brewery also offers various weekly deals, including $3 off pizzas on Mondays.
Omonoia Greek Bakery
2813 East Colfax Avenue
303-394-9333
Byard loves this small shop near East High School for the wake-and-bake high. "It's the only place I know of in Denver where you can get a good Greek frappe-style coffee," he notes. "And then they have all kinds of snacks. Their spanikopita is fucking tremendous." You're likely to leave with a bag filled with sweet goodies, too, since the cases are packed with other tempting options, including strawberry shortcake, melomacarona (honey cookies) and tiramisu.
The fried chicken and puffy beignets from Sauvage.
Chris Byard
Food truck
sauvagedenver.com
While Byard acknowledges that a food truck can pose some challenges for a hungry stoner since it takes a bit of planning to get your hands on the grub, he promises that a venture to Sauvage, a gourmet Cajun venture, is worth the effort — particularly for those seeking an "afternoon delight." What's his go-to? "The Chicken & Beignets," he says, a dish made with the truck's puff pastry-like "alpine-style" beignets and chicken thighs coated in a Creole-style batter, and served with maple-butter sauce and a heap of shaved Parmesan.
Suvipa offers a wide selection of dishes.
Suvipa Thai Food
1015 South Federal Boulevard
720-379-6038
suvipathaifood.com
Wilson loves an unsuspecting strip-mall find, and this spot fits the bill. He recommends going with two or three buddies after a group sesh so you can share some appetizers as you make a game plan for entrees. But he does have one must-order. "It's the Crispy Holy Basil Chicken," he says. "Oh, my God. It comes with these little crunchies on the bottom, and the sauce is delightfully sweet but spicy. It's a great, approachable dish at a great location of a family-owned business."
Taqueria El Sampa
2321 West Evans Avenue
303-954-0972
elsampataqueriabar.com
Nestled just east of Federal Boulevard is this low-key spot with "a big-ass patio," Wilson says, which is ideal for the happy hour high. Here, photos on the wall replace a traditional menu; they list plenty of options, but one truly has Wilson's heart: the tacos árabes. "It's the length of your forearm," he notes. "It comes in a big, puffy, pita-like flour tortilla with what almost tastes like a hoisin glaze. I don't know what the fuck they do to it, but I love it; it's my favorite taco right now. And the sweetness pairs beautifully with a michelada — something that has the acidity but also the sparkle of the Modelo."
