Full Service vs. Buy and Fly

[Lemming]

Nimrod suggested we could have polls for "Favorite full-service Amsterdam coffeeshops" and "Favorite buy and fly Amsterdam coffeeshops" and that made me think that I probably couldn't come up with definitive lists of each anyway. There's bound to be some borderline cases too. I'd love to be able to categorise the shops along these lines if you can help. Please post any info you have and I'll compile lists that everyone can debate until we reach some consensus.

[Taylor]

Siberie definitely a full service one for me. Last time I went there, lovely female budtender was fantastic, new a bit of history about the city and even politely rolled one up for me. The chairs aren't that comfortable but the bud was class, it was early morning so I had some Jamaican brick which was surprisingly nice and she even served up small bowls of fruit. Music was offbeat and relaxed with locals inside. Could do with a few couches but really nice. Bought a 3g bag of widow shake when I left which was again, very good quality. Deffo one for me where I can sit for an hour or two.

[redeyezman]

Lemming....I can't help much with the list since I've only been to a handfull of coffeeshops, but I read that same post by Nimrod and thought he was spot on, but was to stoned to remember to post at the time.

Just wanted to say great solution to the complex problem of "Where do i go for %variable%?????"

As far as how to decide where the "cut off is" maybe do it by square feet? I will explaining 3 shops I have visited

Gray area: 100sq feet? 2 tables, 4 chairs, and a counter. Buy and fly no doubt.
HGF: 300sq feet? 3-5 tables? A counter, and depending on weather, outdoor seeting.
Dampkring 2: 3 story building, 2,000sq feet? 3 stories, bud counter, food counter

Seems like the one's that could be 1-or-the-other might be squablled over like you imagine, and this way its just an arbitrary cut off........getting SQ feet of coffeeshops might be a bit crazy though....although if i lived there....i would happily gather such statistical data for the coffeeshop community!

[uklad_in_ireland]

I'm more used to buy and fly shops as they more common around Holland. Amsterdam has got loads of full service places so was a bit hard to chose.


Buy and fly has to be the grey area. hands down the best place to get the best weed.

Never been to a coffeeshop that sells food yet.

But for seating my two places must be the green place front and back are alright seats and resin just for the full mong out by the whole place is green and the seats and swings quite fun to muck around with when no one is looking

[notsofasteddie]

There probably isn't a Coffeeshop in Amsterdam that I've visited that I haven't "Blown & Flown" given the appropriate circumstances.

Still my favorite "Buy & Fly" has to be Grey Area! Also, I've hauled a lot of edibles from Tweede Kamer and Dampkring, then done some seat time in those places too. Good coffee and Hot Chocolate not to mention quality hash and reefer.

Full service, I'm all in for Homegrown Fantasy (cappuccino, hot chocolate, friendly tenders) and the weed is also pretty good, the view along Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal is always interesting. I'm always good for a Milkshake with a Toastie at Paradox. On the way out, I have to figure how to split the cake. Smaller share for me always equals a more quiet wife! Other places that are full service because the view is so good, Dutch Flowers on Singel and New Times on Spui, seating is limited. The Otherside is good to visit; where else are you going to get to see chandeliers, see some interesting hash, enjoy good coffee, and be served by an very attentive staff!

I would be more positive about Amnesia and La Tertulia as they do have views and good products, but they are not menu picture taking friendly!

[Uncle Ron]

I'm with nsfEddie, circumstances sometimes dictate whether I fly or not, like only having 3.5hrs of Mokum Time.

As for size, unless there's no seating (one comes to mind in Eindhoven, upstairs), this really isn't a reason to consider it a F&B only.
Bottom line - any shop can be an F&B shop when ya think about it...
Ex... DampFloyd - I thought their gear was good enough for a F&B if I was in the area, but I didn't like being hassled (one time is all it takes) so I wouldn't stay.

If there were shops with express counters for F&B, or better yet, walk up window service... now that would be something to vote about!
Happy buying and flying...

[Lemming]

I was thinking more about strictly buy & fly, takeaway places. Places that don't even sell coffee. Grey Area is tiny but I've been in there with groups of people and sat around drinking tea and smoking. Jon and his staff always seem to find time to chat even though it's always busy.

I don't think there are many real takeaway shops in Amsterdam. They are far more common in other towns. For instance, I think most of the shops in Utrecht are strictly buy & fly. No reason to limit this list to Amsterdam incidentally.

One place that comes to mind in Amsterdam is De Overkant Hortus. That has no seats but even there you can get a coffee and smoke standing. Another is Juicebar De Watersnip. I've never been there and its name suggests that it does serve drinks but I have heard that you can't smoke inside and that it is strictly buy & fly.

The list I was hoping to compile is of places that are run as buy & flys rather than places that we use as buy & flys. Not sure if that's what Nimrod meant but I can't see how we can make a definitive list of places that we treat as takeaways because that will vary from person to person.

Any suggestions?

[Grunt]

For Buy and Fly and i know i will get nailed to a cross for this act of blasphemy would be Voyagers

Full Service is Club Media and possibly Katsu if not too crowded

Trout and Over

[StillSmokin]

Hi Lemming, just an idea, may complicate it further and don't know if possible... but it seems to me that as people have different reasons for Buy N Fly (well apart if it's literally a hole in the wall) such as size, vibe, how busy it is, music, loudness etc... maybe some sort of scale from 1-10 type voting on several aspects (how about... quality/buyNfly/price) may give some interesting results.

De Watersnip is a bit of a wierd one, only been there 3/4 times, but there seems to be 2 parts to it, the front "Buy N Fly" part and also some sort of Bar at the back. The first time I went I asked the Dealer if he knew where there was anywhere we could smoke as the front part was just standing only/hole in the wall, he said the bar was closed, but opened up a door and let the 3 of us in anyways. As the Bar part has always seemed closed the other times as well I never have found out if it's part of the coffeeshop and you can actually buy weed from that side or not, if I ever head there again I'll find out.

[Nimrod]

My logic was in breaking out the true BnF shops from the Amsterdam poll, so more regular shops could make the Amsterdam list. We have to try and keep this basic. Start considering square footage, pinball machines, etc., and this can get nuts.

All shops have their pros and cons. I love de Graal's homey/cozy feel and relative anonymity. Eerste Hulp seems to have an owner who knows what's up, regarding how to do business. He was exceedingly pleased and quite appreciative to have received the second place Hestia Cup 2012. Utopia seems to be doing everything right lately, for a recognized third place finish - coming out of nowhere.

The only things you can rate a BnF shop on, are gear/prices, and location/hours.

Full service shops have much more to offer, from food, drink, coziness, activities/entertainment, toilets, rendezvous point, view, patio, whitey-assistance, rain haven.

@Grunt - I don't much like smoking in Voyagers. I only stay for the cherry Coke. It's a little difficult for me to relax there. Maybe because I'm wired on cherry Coke and want to leave the terrarium to get to walking my buzz off.

[felixxy]

What i had in mind was a buy n fly shop is a shop without smoking area like Boerejongens.

[Puppa Ruff]

agree. B&F places are places that dont allow smoking inside for whatever reasons. other than that, one can hypotetically use any CS as a B&F.

I only know of Boerejongens & Bij at the moment, and only been in the latter, on the assumption that the gear would've been the same in both places. I've been hinted at that is not necessarily so, though.

on my last visit to Bij, I also decided on a whim to play Dumb Tourist (not hard at all, really ) and candidly asked why they wont allow smoking on premises: I was informed by a young kind budtender that the neighbourhood/clientele is composed by many different ethnicities and, were they to allow people to hang around, arguments to downright fights would invariably break out, and that's why...

[Panog]

Hugo de Groot and Trefpunt are 2 strictly buy n fly CS

[Puppa Ruff]

Hugo de Groot

duh! I was there too... must've been not impressed, or too stoned, or both!

[MK101]

Chapiteau is a definite buy 'n' fly.

I'd never even attempt to sit in Grey Area