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Coffee Shop Guide
All around the world the city is known for its inhabitant's tolerant attitude toward soft drugs (marihuana) and prostitution. These controversial elements of city life, always mentioned in a single breath, arousing excitement in some and nervousness in others, are taken less seriously by locals. It is this laid-back attitude that feeds and sustains the easy-going atmosphere of life in Amsterdam so often remarked upon by those who have spent time in the city, whether or not they have bothered to delve into the regions in question.
In the Netherlands and especially Amsterdam, the term coffee shop has come to mean a place where hashish and marijuana are available. A hash bar, if you like. A visit to the Netherlands from the crazy prohibitionist world outside can be a very enlightening experience. Speaking as an Englishman, I think the Dutch have achieved a higher state of civilization than the rest of us. It's not that Holland is run by a bunch of hippies (far from it), it's just that they have a more rational attitude to facts-of-life like drugs and prostitution.
If you are not from around here and the coffee shop scene looks a bit intimidating at first sight rest assured that you will find lots of normal, regular, plain people in them. Tourists and locals, investment bankers and thugs, all layers of society eventually enter a coffee shop. The myth that drugs are legal in the Netherlands is just that, myth. Soft drugs are tolerated, and that's all. This means you can buy weed or hash without risking arrest, that you can carry a small amount of soft drugs with you, that you can grow a small number of plants at your place for personal use, that you are free to roll one and enjoy it inside a coffee shop or at your place. Smoking dope in public places is not ok, and even some nightlife locales will discourage you from rolling and lighting up a joint. Smoking on the street is also not regarded in a good way by the honest hardworking folks, so do not do it unless you are alone. If you think you won't bother anyone with your joint, then smoke it, otherwise find a suitable place for the recreational break. This is sane advice, it's meant to help you avoid trouble with your neighbors or with the police. Also, some hotels are not too fond of smoking guests, so better ask beforehand in case there are no ashtrays in your room.
A Coffee shop has to follow a lot of rules:
" no more than five grams per person may be sold in any one transaction;
" no hard drugs may be sold;
" drugs may not be advertised;
" the coffee shop must not cause any nuisance;
" no drugs may be sold to minors (under the age of 18), nor may minors be admitted to the premises.
Remember, the soft drugs in Amsterdam are a lot stronger then you might be used to in your own country. Never buy drugs on the streets, but in a coffee shop. Be care full with what you smoke, it's not candy!
There are about as many coffee shops in Amsterdam as there are museums. The "Hard Rock" of these is The Bulldog. Veterans will tell you to avoid the one in the Red Light District and instead visit its cousin in the Leidseplein. In addition to being less touristy (which in Coffee shop-speak means better smokes) it is a favorite hangout of flight attendants in town on layovers. The Leidsplein Bulldog is known as the all-in-one stop because it has a bar next door to the coffee shop, which makes it very easy to travel between the two.
Its extraordinary decor makes Dampkring stand out from the crowd. Both inside and outside are molded, sculpted, studded and painted bright colors. The overall effect is quite stunning.
They have an excellent menu and take pride in the quality of their product. There is plenty of room inside and a licensed bar. Dampkring is one of three highly-rated coffee shops around the Spui area. The other two are: Dutch Flowers and Tweede Kamer. You might recognize the Dampkring from the movie "Ocean's twelve". They advertise as the "favorite joint of Ocean's twelve".
List of coffee shops in Amsterdam:
Abraxas - Jonge Roelensteeg 12
African Unity Coffeshop - Reguliersgracht 27
Aka - Sint Olofssteeg 3-5
Avanti Coffeeshop - Cafe, Utrechtsestraat 14, Rembrandtsplein
Baba - 64 Warmoestraat
Balou - Halvemaansteeg 5
Bar Coffeeshop Highway - Lange Niezel 25
Barney's Breakfast Bar - 102 Harlemmerstraat, Jordaan
Blue Velvet - 64 Harlemmerstraat
Bertoni - Beukenweg 11
Big Fun - Amstel 8
Bla Bla - Spaarndammerstraat 43
Black Star Coffeeshop - Rozengracht 1A
Bluebird, 71 St. Antoniebreestraat
The Bulldog - Leidseplein 13 - 17
The Bulldog - Oudezijds Voorburgwal 90
The Bushdocter Coffeeshop - Thorbeckeplein 28
BorderLine Coffeeshop - Amstelstraat 37
Cafe d'Binnenbant - Geldersekade 95
Cafe Flying Dutchman - Martelaarsgract 13
Cafe Freeworld - The Nieuwendijk
The Challenger Coffeeshop - Jan v. Galenstraat 147
Che's Coffeeshop - Geldersekade 54
Chocolata - 51 Spuistraat
Choice Exact - Damstraat
City Dreams - Haarlemmerstraat 54
Cobra - Elandsgracht 53
Coffeeshop 222 - Oudezijdes Vorburgwal 222
Coffeeshop 36 - Warmoesstraat 36
Coffeeshop Atta - 1e Oosterparkstraat 226
De Overkant - van Limburg Stirumplein 20
'de Prijs' - Surinamestraat 7
De Runner Coffeeshop - Runstraat 8
Djaktie - 1e Jan v.d.Heydenstr 54
The Doors
Double Blonde
Double Reggae - Niuewendike
De Dampkring Coffeeshop - Handboogstraat 29
Dubbay Coffeeshop - Javastraat 104
Dutch Flowers - 387 Singel
Easy Times - Prinsengracht 467
'El Tigre' Coffeeshop - Amstelstraat 37
Experienced Coffeeshop - Kloveniersburgwal 4
Extase - 2 Oudehoogstraat
Fancy Free Coffeeshop - Haarlemmestraat 64
Fatal Flowers - (two locations) 46 Stadhouderskade &
69 F. Hendrikstraat
Free Adam Coffeeshop - Oude Hoogstraat 13
Free City - Marnixstraat
Free I - Reguliersdwarsstraat 70
Friends Coffeeshop - Hemonystraat 20
Front Page - 14 Zoufsteeg
Future Coffeeshop - Prins Hendrikade 102
Genesis - Brouwersgracht 137
Genius Cafe Coffeeshop - Daooerstraat 94
Global Chillage - Kerkstraat 51
Glory's Coffee Lounge - Ruysdaelstraat 48
Goa Coffeeshop - Kloveniersburgwal 42
The Grasshopper - Nieuwzijds Vorburgwal 59
The Grasshopper - Oude Brugsteeg 16
The Grasshopper - Utrechtsestraat 21
Good Times
Green House Coffeeshops
Green House "Centrum", Oudezijdes Voorburgwal 191
Green House, Tolstraat 91
Green House "Namaste", Waterlooplein 345
The Greenhouse Effect - Warmoesstraat 53
Grey Area - Oude Leliesstraat 2
Hard Rock Cafe - Oudezijds Voorburgwal 246
Het Ballonnetje - Roetersstraat 12
High Times
Hill Street Blues - Warmoesstraat 52
Homegrown Fantasy - Nieuwezijds Voorburgwall 87a
Huboma - Postbus 58318
Hunter's Bar - Warmoesstraat 24
Het Wonder - 13 Huidenstraat
I Love Mike - Zeedijk 55
Indian - Goudsbloemstraat 9
Jet-Set Coffeeshop - Bergstraat 13, Hoek Herengracht 133
Josephine Baker - Oude Doelenstraat 27
Kadinsky - 9 Rosmarijnsteeg
Katsu - 1e v.d. Helst Straat 70
Koffie Huis Basjoe - Kloveniersburgwal 62
Koffieshop Snoopy - Ceintuurbaan 185
The Loading Zone - Warmoesstraat 70
Los Angeles - 3e Oosterparkstraat 73
Little - Vijzelgracht 47
Lucky Mothers - 665 Keisersgracht
Machu Picchu - Amstel Canal opposite Le Jardin Restaurant
Magic Coffeeshop - Herengracht 287
Marimba - v.d.Helstplein 17
Mellow Yellow - Vijzelgracht 33
Mexico - Marco Polostraat 225
Miami Hassan Coffeeshop - Tugelweg 2
Mister Adam Coffeeshop - Halve Maansteeg 1
Museum Coffeeshop - Oude Doelenstraat 20
Nice Dream - Sint Antoniesbreestratt 77
No 1 Orfe - de Wittenstraat 32
Old Style - Martelaarsgracht 24
The Otherside - Reguliersdwarsstraat 6
De Oude Kerk - Oudezijds Voorburgwal 47
Outer Limits - Neuwe Herengracht 71
De Overkant - 26 von Limburgstirumplein
Paradox - 2 Bloemdwarstraat
Paradise Coffeeshop, Damstraat 8
Picasso Coffeeshop - Haarlemmerstraat 6
Playa d'oro Coffeshop - Amsteldijk 139
Pink Floyd - 44 Harlemmerstraat
The Pooldog - Hekelveld 7
Popeye Coffeeshop - Haarlemerstraat
Prix d'Ami - Haringpakkerssteeg 3
Rasta Baby - Prins Hendrikkade
Real Thing I Coffee-Shop - 2e Laurierdwarsstraat 50
Real Thing II Coffeeshop - Comeniusstraat 281
Rick's Cafe - Oudezijds Voorburgwal 252
Rockland Coffeeshop - Raadhuisstraat 8
Rookies Coffeeshop - Korte Liedsedwarsstraat 145/7
Rusland - 16 Rusland
Scarface - Balthazar Flariszstraat 41
7th Heaven - Spuistraat 7
Sensimilla - 1 Zoelenkerstraat
Siberie - 11 Brouwersgracht
Stones Corner - 91 Warmoestraat
Smokey - Rembrandtplein 24
Smokey - Prins Hendrikkade 91
Smokey Bear's Coffeeshop - Rokin 115
Smokum - Cointuurbaan 185
Spaceland - Marnixstraat 383
Stephano Coffeeshop - Daniel Stalpertstraat 74
Strange Fruit Coffeeshop - Bloemgracht 14
Sturgis, Brouwersgracht 137 - Corner of Willemstraat
Sunny Corner Coffeeshop - Near the Niewmarkt
T-Boot - Oude Schans 143
Tetouan Coffeeshop - Covert Flinckstraat 122, Albert Cuypmarkt
The Times Coffeeshop - Jan van Galenstraat 49
The Wall - Haringpakkerssteeg 8
Tomorrow's Coffeeshop - Ceintuurbaan 204
Transkei Coffeeshop - Haarlemmerstaat 73
Tweede Kamer - near The Spui
Whoopie - Binnen Oranjestraat 9
Wie Egie Sanie - Albert Cuypstraat 268
Wild Style - Oudezids Voorburgwal 250
Yo Yo Coffeeshop - Tweede Jan v.d. Heydenstraat 79
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