Amsterdam (Rough Guide) - Martin Dunford [130]
Happy Feelings Kerkstraat 51. Formerly a hippie hangout, this is now a fresh and trendy coffeeshop with flatscreen TVs on the walls, attracting a selective crowd. Daily 1pm–1am.
Mellow Yellow Vijzelgracht 33. Spartan but bright coffeeshop with a small, good-quality dope list. It’s a little out of the way, but makes up for it in friendliness. Mon–Thurs 9am–midnight, Fri–Sun 8am–1am.
The Otherside Reguliersdwarsstraat 6. Popular with (but not exclusively occupied by) gay smokers, this is a crowded and fun coffeeshop near the Muntplein. In Dutch, “the other side” is a euphemism for homosexuality. Daily 11am–1am.
Stix Utrechtsestraat 21. The quietest branch of an Amsterdam institution for dope-smoking. You can get it all here: coffee, newspaper and a smoke. Daily 11am–1am.
Eating and drinking | Coffeeshops |
The Jordaan and Western docklands
Barney’s Breakfast Bar Haarlemmerstraat 102. This extremely popular café-cum-coffeeshop is simply the most civilized place in town to enjoy a big hit with a fine breakfast – at any time of day. A few doors down, at no. 98, Barney’s Farm affords a nice sunny spot in the morning and serves alcohol, and across the street Barney’s Uptown has good cocktails in a trendier environment. Daily 7am–10pm.
Bronx Marnixstraat 92. Smart-looking, multi-level place equipped with a large coma-inducing fish tank and internet access up on the mezzanine floor. Daily 10am–midnight.
Paradox 1e Bloemdwarsstraat 2. If you’re fed up with the usual coffeeshop food offerings, Paradox satisfies the munchies with outstanding natural food, including spectacular fresh fruit smoothies and veggie burgers. Daily 10am–8pm.
Eating and drinking | Coffeeshops |
Old Jewish Quarter and Eastern docklands
Pollinator Company Nieuwe Herengracht 25 www.pollinator.nl. Not strictly a coffeeshop, this place is for those serious about growing their own marijuana. The owner can tell you everything you need to know, and stocks the products you need to do it, from seeds to compost, as well as various peripherals such as pipes, cannabis lollies and hemp rock. The small chill-out area offers free tea and coffee and has a large collection of back issues of High Times. Mon noon–7pm, Tues–Fri 11am–7pm, Sat 1.30–7pm.
Eating and drinking | Coffeeshops |
The outer districts
Greenhouse Tolstraat 91. Tram #4 or #25 from CS. Consistently sweeps the board at the annual Cannabis Cup, with medals for its dope as well as for “Best Coffeeshop”. Staff are extremely knowledgeable in their “grassy” field; if you’re only buying once, buy here. There are also branches at Waterlooplein 345 and OZ Voorburgwal 191. Daily 9am–1am.
Yo-Yo 2e Jan van der Heijdenstraat 79. About as local as you can get, down in De Pijp, to the east of the Sarphatipark, this is a small, airy little place in which to seek out smoking solitude. A little gallery at the back exhibits works by local artists. Daily noon–8pm.
Entertainment and nightlife
Amsterdam offers a broad range of music, dance and film, partly due to its youthful population, and partly thanks to its government subsidies. Indeed, the city is often at the cutting edge of the arts and its frequent festivals and fringe events provide plenty of offbeat entertainment. Furthermore, the city is crammed with places offering a wide range of affordable entertainment. Something of a Mecca for clubbers, the city comes into its own after dark, with numerous venues clustered around Leidseplein and its environs buzzing into the small hours. Lovers of the performing arts are particularly well catered for, with venues such as the state-of-the-art Muziekgebouw and the prestigious Concertgebouw top of the list, not to mention a host of concert halls, theatres and churches hosting all manner of cultural happenings, from modern dance to stand-up comedy.
Entertainment and nightlife |
Information
For information about what’s on, a good place to start is the Amsterdam Uitburo, or AUB (Mon–Sat 10am–7.30pm, Sun noon–7.30pm), the city council’s cultural office, housed in a corner of the Stadsschouwburg