From Trap to Table, meet the leaders of NY’s ‘legacy-to-legal’ cannabis brands [Dec. 2025]

In 2025, a tidal wave of new brands hit New York dispensaries. Indoor grows are finally up and running. And many are led by true legacy-to-legal pioneers like Julian Smith, the Owner of Trap To Table. Smith’s flower is now available in 26 stores across the state, with more scheduled for 2026. Smith invited Leafly to his operation for a preview of what’s in store, including new strains like Lemon Diesel, Candy Cartel and Cherry Octane, plus exclusive events across the state.

Trap To Table

I got kicked out of my house because my father found weed under my bed. That was actually my precursor to going to Canada. I was already taking a trip out there to visit some friends, and maybe a week before I was leaving, my father found cannabis under the bed.

I come from a very how do we say it–a lot of people know my family locally. So my father felt very nervous about finding weed in the house at the time. Lo and behold, I took that trip to Canada. And I loved it out there. I started growing in the basement, one little closet and a little Rubbermaid.

Now, my father calls me and texts me about dispensary owners in New York who he knows. He told me the other day, ‘Somebody told me that your weed is fire!’ I was like, ‘that’s crazy for you to tell me that, you’re 69-years-old. Nice.’

In Canada, they were called designated growers before they had legal facilities where you can purchase weed. I was growing for my mother-in-law at the time, and she went from being on the fentanyl patch for her Fibromyalgia to being able to be off the patch. And that was “seeing is believing” for her doctor. From that moment on, her doctor was willing to prescribe cannabis for more of his patients that were going through different types of ailments.

“The doctors asked me to be their grower“

– Julian Smith, Trap To Table

At the time, I certainly did not know it was going to turn into this. I was smoking weed myself. So I was also like, ‘Hey, this is a little expensive. I can kill two birds with one stone. I can grow for her, and then I could also be spending maybe less than $500 a month on my weed right now.’ So it was a win-win. 

I was interested in growing before I started growing for her, but I hadn’t grown a cannabis plant at all. So I had a couple of books that I had been looking into, reading about it a lot, diving into the forums. And talking with people online, reading their grow logs and what they were doing. And what formulas they were using. Really learning from other people’s mistakes in the beginning.

But by nature of the beast, you know the system isn’t perfect, and you know you’re allowed to grow based on the prescription that you had. So you can go to certain places, and you can get big prescriptions. So you could have 200 patients and 800 plants. And that is gonna wind up feeding the black market.

Both my parents are very plant driven. I grew up with a giant dieffenbachia in my bedroom that hit the ceiling. Philodendrons all over the house and succulents sitting in the stairwell. My mother had a little green room. And then my father was always really big on planting outdoors in the spring. I can remember going to the nurseries with him and getting up the different flats of chrysanthemums and taking those to the house and filling those out in the front yard.

So maybe that helped me feel a little bit more comfortable doing it. But really it was just the information that was online. Delving into the forums, you know, going really back into old grows, and understanding playing with general hydroponics and the Lucas formula they were using, and breaking all of that down.

“I started smoking in college, but Canada is where I fell in love with cannabis.”

– Julian Smith, Trap To Table

I was like 22-23 when I started smoking. I was definitely late to the game. I really got into weed when I moved to Canada. It really shifted my thought process around it–the appreciation they have. They’re a lot further along in their cannabis acceptance.

But by nature of the beast, you know the system isn’t perfect, and you know you’re allowed to grow based on the prescription that you had. So you can go to certain places, and you can get big prescriptions. So you could have 200 patients and 800 plants. And that is gonna wind up feeding the black market.

Having all that flower and needing somewhere for it to go. That was my introduction into commercial-scale sales. And then it was just about maintaining my facility. Bouncing back and forth between the patients and people coming from different provinces.

Once they started to legalize the larger facilities, and they had the licenses where people could pick who they wanted to grow–we were listed. So a lot of the individuals were able to find us to help them set up their facilities, and to help them manage their grows and get them off the ground.

So I went from growing for the patients in a closet. To a basement. To a 4,000-square-foot warehouse. To setting up facilities in a 20,000 square foot warehouse. And that was all over the span of about 11 years while in Canada.

I came back to New York and grew for another farm where they had about five acres. And a 20,000-square-foot greenhouse.I was just getting my experience back home, versus being out in Canada, in the West. Learning the environment here. Learning the pests. Learning the variables. Being up north, on the west, on the east coast– it’s all going to be very, very different. So I spent the last three years and some change actually growing for that company. And I was fortunate enough to get my own indoor license, a New York Tier-2 indoor license. 

I was like, ‘Okay, I’ve been spending a lot of time doing it for other people, managing their businesses, managing their grows with the dream of doing it myself.’ Fortunately, my hometown, coming back home, New York, was able to offer that.

Vitabudz

Our friends at RNR Dispensary are pushing Vitabudz as one of their favorite flower picks. Their team shared samples of the legacy brands upcoming drop and it blew our minds. Vitabudz boasts clean grow techniques and deep knowledge of the genetics that New York smokers want. They’re launching a micro-operation soon that will include a retail store. Until then, they’re selling fast in dozens of dispensaries from upstate to downtown.

DOJA

Whether you go to Happy Munkey Dyckman uptown, or Torches by Polanco Brothers downtown, budtenders are raving about DOJA’s New York offering. DOJA is one of the world’s most respected flower brands. And now it’s finally available in New York dispensaries. Find DOJA strains Gelonade, Permanant Marker and Giraffe Puzzy now at Torches by Polanco Brothers in Midtown or Happy Munkey Uptown.

The Mechanic Farm

This craft quality grower made a huge name for himself on NYC’s legacy market. Now he’s partnering with top dispensaries like Good Grades and Torches for limited drops in the legal market. His first run sold out in a few hours earlier this month. Stay tuned to Good Grades and Torches on Leafly for menu updates and restocks from The Mechanic.

Noizey

This is a staff pick at Valley Greens thanks to low price, high potency, and that extra .5g blessing in every jar.

Tarot Tokes

Cannavita loves Tarot Tokes, who leans into the mysticism of cannabis. The brand works with the cultivator Java Sprout Farm to curate strains that complement various cards from the Tarot deck. Tarot is a centuries-old practice that uses cards and their meanings to tell people’s fortunes or clarify aspects of their lives, and cannabis can work much in the same way. Each strain embodies the card on the packaging; one of their most popular offerings, the sativa-dominant Lilac Diesel, is The Sun card, which reflects its vitality and energizing effects. Others on their roster: Priestess Haze (The Queen), Chemdog (The Emperor), RS11 (The Chariot), and Sour Hour (The Fool).

Rolling Green

Rolling Green may be the most respected brand among budtenders in New York, based on our research. No matter who we talked to, Rolling Green got a nod in the discussion for best flower in New York state dispensaries. They aren’t hard to find. Hit the button to roll with the best.

Synergy

Hibernica in The Bronx loves Synergy. The Synergy team has dialed in on the strains high-end smokers are looking for. Sweet and pungent genetics like Blue Gushers, Sour Space Rocks, and Pink Guava Synergy are available now in The Bronx (The Bronx Joint, Bleu Leaf), Manhattan (Torches NYC by Polanco Brothers), Queens (Weedside), satisfying the real Zaza lovers city-wide. They just dropped pre-rolls, too, for a more convenient, lower-cost option.

STA Exotic (cultivated by Torrwood Farm)

Cultivated by Torrwood Farm, New Yorkers are grabbing STA Exotic’s premium flower and infused pre-rolls by the handful. Grown in 200-year old living soil, STA livest up to its exotic name.

SUPER DOPE

I recently tried this brand SUPER DOPE from Good Grades and gave it a great review overall. They got pulled from shelves momentarily, due to censorship on their Hentai-themed packaging. But more drops are coming from this high-demand craft quality brand. Happy Munkey (Inwood) also carries this super rare brand.

Heady Tree

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According to cannabis sales data platform Headset, Heady Tree is one of New York’s bestselling cannabis brand, namely the strain Blue Lobster. Blue Lobster was bred by Maine Trees, drawing on two strains from the acclaimed Chris Compound during his time with Compound Genetics. The strain has made waves on the cannabis cup circuit and pages of weed magazines alike. Blue Lobster is currently one the most searched strains by Leafly users in New York. It’s a testament to Heady Tree’s eye for unique terpene profiles and strains that don’t always get the hype that the Gelatos and Diesels do. Their offerings of flower eighths, quarters, half-ounces and prerolls include numerous strains we’ve highlighted throughout the year, like Blue Zushi, Glitterbomb, our 2024 Strain of the Year Super Boof, Peach Pie, and Tangie Colada.

Sensei Cultivation

This micro-license brand has been around for years in New York’s legacy space. Their first legal release is a hit, and shows steady development over the years. The Sensei Cult always puts cannabis above clout. And that dedication translates to their legal flower.

Leal Organics

Leal does it better than most. Which is impressive for the volume of flower they produce. The attention to detail is pristine according to the budtenders and buyers we spoke to at New York dispensaries. This is the flagship brand for Sapphire Farms, a 100-acre grow upstate in Newfield.

Zizzle

With strains like Wet Dream and WAP, Zizzle is flying off of shelves. Their whole flower eighths are a cut above most brands. And they’re not hard to find statewide. Next time you’re in Queens, stop by House of Strains for one of the state’s best selections of Zizzle flower.

Toke Folks

The JFK Cannabis team is very picky about their flower. Toke Folks is one of the few brands they said they could count on. With rare flavors like Blue Lobster (Apples & Bananas x Eye Candy) and well-priced 8ths and pre-rolls, they’re coming in clutch for New York flower lovers.

Farmer Jim

Another top pick from the JFK Cannabis menu. The face of the brand is James Bullman, aka “Farmer Jim.” The brand was inspired by Jimmy’s dedication to the plant work and stocks some of the best sungrown cannabis in New York state. Find them at JFK Cannabis and Dank 716. JFK Cannabis’ owner and buyer told Leafly, “his novelty strains and hash infused wood tip hemp blunts” that are a favorite for airport travelers.