Cannavita opened at 30-30 Steinway Street in early 2024 as Astoria's second legal dispensary and, according to QNS, the 52nd licensed adult-use store in the state. It's a CAURD shop (license OCM-CAURD-24-000052, held by Green Jungle Inc.). Its founders came from New York City restaurants, and they've built the store around what Leafly News described as fine-dining hospitality.
From restaurant floors to Steinway Street, with hospitality to match
Owner Marko Popovic and operations manager Allie Carney met working in the city's restaurant industry, according to a Leafly News profile. Popovic obtained the CAURD license with a silent partner who had a previous cannabis charge, the kind of justice-involved applicant the license program was created to prioritize. Leafly reported that the business continues to prioritize people affected by the War on Drugs, and that most of its budtenders are from Queens.
The OCM dataset shows the license issued January 24, 2024, with first sales on February 11, 2024. QNS reported a grand opening on February 17 after a soft opening earlier that month, with more than 400 products on the shelves at launch.
The restaurant background shapes how the store operates. Leafly News described the storefront as resembling "a luxurious tropical getaway." The shop offers Cannabis Concierge consultations, one-on-one in store or by phone, and its site describes the staff as "expertly-trained." The store is also dog-friendly, which is rare among New York dispensaries.
Gallery nights, comedy, and yoga
Cannavita hosts regular community events. Leafly News reported weekly Friday art gallery nights and candle-making sessions with Tarot Tokes. The shop's own site now lists gallery nights, comedy shows, DJ sessions, and yoga classes. Check its social channels for the current schedule. Events like these are part of why the store has a following in Astoria beyond its menu.
The social focus started early. QNS reported that the store launched with a range of social campaigns and community-engagement efforts, and Leafly News returned to the store around its first anniversary to write about its hospitality model. Few Queens dispensaries have had that much press attention, and the coverage gives a clear picture of how the owners want the store to run.
Free delivery: where, how fast, how much
The headline perk needs a clarification: delivery is free to select ZIP codes in Queens and Roosevelt Island, not every address in the borough. According to Cannavita's site:
- The delivery area covers Astoria, Sunnyside, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, and Roosevelt Island.
- Order minimums start at $30 and vary by ZIP code.
- Typical delivery time is 30 minutes to an hour.
- Delivery runs 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Brands, discounts, rewards, and hours
The site lists flower, pre-rolls, vaporizers, concentrates, edibles, topicals, CBD, and tinctures. Featured brands include Back Home Cannabis, Dank, MFNY, Anthem, Jetty, Select, Heavy Hitters, Ayrloom, Camino, Ruby Farms, and Grassroots. That mix runs from big multi-state names like Select and Heavy Hitters to New York-made products like MFNY and Ayrloom drinks, so most kinds of shoppers will find something familiar. Leafly News also mentioned Chef for Higher, Kiva, and 5Boro around the store's first anniversary. For more on what Queens shoppers are buying, see our Queens vapes, flower, and pre-rolls roundup.
Discounts are clearly posted: 10% off for seniors (65+), veterans, and first responders with valid ID, plus rotating brand promotions of 15% to 20% off. Cannavita Rewards earns one point per dollar, redeemable for merchandise and, unusually, dining vouchers. Payment options are cash, debit, and Dutchie Pay.
The hours are long, but they end earlier than High City's weekend 1 a.m. close, and Cannavita's posted prices don't appear to include tax the way High City's do. Compare final, after-tax prices if cost matters most.
The store is open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. The phone number is (347) 527-2565. The shop is on Steinway Street's busy shopping strip, a couple of blocks north of the Steinway Street M and R station at Broadway, and within walking distance of the N and W lines on 31st Street.
Getting the most from delivery and the concierge
Because delivery minimums vary by ZIP code, enter your address on the menu before you build a cart. The minimum for parts of Sunnyside or Jackson Heights may differ from central Astoria. Delivery closes an hour before the store each day, so a late-night order needs to be placed by 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, or 9 p.m. on Sunday. Expect an ID check at the handoff, made with whoever's name is on the order.
The Cannabis Concierge service is the store's way of offering restaurant-style service to people who aren't sure what to buy. You can book a one-on-one consultation in store or call ahead. It's a good fit for people new to edibles, older shoppers using the senior discount, and anyone who wants to plan a low-dose purchase before committing. Several of the brands on the menu, including Ayrloom drinks and lower-dose gummies, suit that conversation.
The rewards program reflects the founders' restaurant background: points can be redeemed for dining vouchers as well as store merchandise. If you shop regularly, ask how the vouchers work and which restaurants take them.
How it compares on the block
Urban Weeds, across the street at 31-35 Steinway, opened a month earlier, in January 2024, according to OCM records. Other Astoria options include Astoria Bud Boutique on Astoria Boulevard and the newer High City Cannabis near Ditmars. Cannavita stands out for its events, consultation-style service, and dining-voucher rewards.
When Cannavita opened, unlicensed smoke shops far outnumbered licensed stores in Queens, and the city's Operation Padlock to Protect enforcement campaign didn't begin until a few months later, in May 2024. Being one of the borough's earliest licensed stores helped Cannavita build a regular customer base on Steinway Street before many of its current competitors opened. With Urban Weeds across the street and High City a short walk north on 31st Street, Astoria shoppers can easily compare three licensed menus in one trip. High Today's guide to the best Queens dispensaries covers more of the borough, and microdosing is worth asking the concierge about if you're new.
Who will like it
Cannavita suits Astoria and Sunnyside residents who want quick delivery, shoppers who like a store with a social calendar, seniors, veterans, and first responders who can use the standing discount, and anyone who wants to support an equity-licensed store from early in New York's legal market. See High Today's deals page for current promotions.