Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory Forums

Hi Stoners!,

I'm going back to the dam for the first time in 14 years or so next month. Much has changed since then so I thought I might ask a few questions.

I need advice on what coffeeshops to go to. I will be staying out of town so arriving at central station each day. I don't want to have to walk to the other end of town unless I can get to it easy by tram.

I have been looking at CS in centrum and the RLD. I am looking for somewhere which is nice inside not too small, where I won't be restricted to a small smoking room, I'm not going to be smoking it neat so somewhere that has a nice room for tobacco or where I can get a herbal mix (without having to pay too much, or for free). I wanting to be able to spend a few hours or so there so maybe somewhere with TV's. I'm not to fussed about quality of gear and so on, probably going to try some hash (smoked skunk for 20 years, but nothing for 9 months), Places that serve food interest me too. I'm sure everyone has there favourites for many reasons, one with a terrace so I can lookout maybe, certainly one with lots of natural light would be nice. I don't want to be somewhere claustrophobic. I'm thinking because of the smoking ban, probably best to get around that using herbal mix.

So far, ones that I have been thinking may suit are, Jolly Joker, Greenhouse Centrum, but I think I may be missing somewhere better to go.

I am also looking at bars where I can get a beer, smoke and watch the weekends football. I have found Pinockio - Warmoesstraat 5, does anyone know where I can find it?

Out with pinockio and in with Batavia man! SMokers friendly as fuck (in canal side smokers lounge), footie was playing on thetelle ll the time we were there (in the lounge) and the beer, food, staff and guests are all top notch!

Shops:

Easy times is 50 meters from the tram stop on leidsebaangrachtsomething (1 or 2 stop before leidseplein) and a great "home base" from which to reach great shops in both the center and pijp areas. Good menu and wares also, nice staff and so on. Spaceous as well. Mixed smoking goes in the whole shop, even though they have a smokers room.Open 10 to 01 all days btw...

De graal - great shop in the pijp a short walk from AC market, which is easy to get to by tram. Great value, great staff, great shop over all!

Boerjoengens center for pick up, should be ok easy on foot / tram

Utopia - best staff in the city, very decent menu

...and a lot more, check latest relevant posts from us, DeLeuksteNugs, OneHighMoFo, ElasticBand, Jesscass, marok and many others, including a lot of recent and great trip reports...

Do you mean Café Batvia 1920? Why is it not on the map? Coz it's a bar not coffeeshop? Where the best places to pick up some gear close by, like a g of hash to have with a beer?

Thanks for the help guys. One other question, what is the best way to change currency over there?

squidgyblack wrote:Thanks for the help guys. One other question, what is the best way to change currency over there?

Can use bank card at machines with Plus sign or at Central train station ther,s an exchange place can,t miss it

The RLD isn't perhaps the best place to find what you're looking for. All the CS's round there are kind of small and poky.
Perhaps with the exception of Bagheera and Rusland just to the south of Nieuwmarkt.

My tips would be take a short stroll south-west across Damrak to the Southern end of Spui. Try Coffeeshop Tweede Kamer or Dampkring for their large selection of hashes. Then head back north to enjoy the coffeeshops and smoker friendly bars (although the RLD based latter examples - Batavia and Hill Street Blues, might be a touch claustrophobic perhaps as the smoking dens are downstairs and a touch dingy and smoky when crowded).

Try CS Siberie on Brouwersgracht if you want a quiet, open - breezy canal side cafe style atmosphere. A nice place to read a book or people watch, La Tertulia on Prinsengracht - for similar reasoning. Bluebird on Sint Antoniebreestraat has a few interesting spots to sit in, does good hashes and echoing CC's recommendations; Utopia is a nice spot on an evening and Ingi is the most honest and welcoming bud tender in town.

I'd also highly recommend getting further south into the De Pijp area; You'd really be missing out and after a 14 year absence you owe yourself the best possible adventure. For me De Graal is the best CS in town hands down (great ambience - always interesting menu), Katsu (has great hashes), Yo Yo (nice 'easy on the head' outdoor weed selection) are ALL worth the short €3ish tram ride on the number 16 from outside Central Station or off Damrak.

Don't worry too much about using tobacco in your spliffs - just keep your pouch/fags hidden when you're done using them and you'll be fine. Most of the locals and CS owners still roll with tobacco so as long as you're discreet it's all good. There are a few places that will expressly tell you on entry not to use Tobacco: Barney's, Boerejongens, somewhere else that's slipped my mind. If you're not staying but want to buy - rolling one there for the road is always acceptable

Get your money at the airport before you fly, saves dicking about when there's smoking to be done

squidgyblack wrote:Thanks for the help guys. One other question, what is the best way to change currency over there?

As far as I know the best is to withdraw from an ATM in the local currency, as ATMs are known for offering the best exchange rates.

...or pay directly for your hash with a visa or master cards in shops (and, evidently, get a specified receipt), that is quite a blast (the paying part, didn't know about the receipts)... well, at least it is something new relative to the black markets elsewhere...