When you think Amsterdam the first thing that pops into your head is the high level of tolerance the country has for Coffee Shops, and when you say coffee shop in Amsterdam one does not necessarily mean, a coffee shop where people go buy a latte. Coffee shops in Amsterdam are a place where people purchase weed, or hash, or space brownies, or muffins. Part of the experience of going to Amsterdam is visiting a coffee shop, but since not everyone knows the ins and outs of Amsterdam’s coffee shops, we did some asking as well as some touring, and this is what we have in store for you:
What should you expect?
First thing is first, you will need your ID. Coffee shops operate under strict laws, and selling cannabis to a person who is less than 18 years of age is illegal. So expect to be asked for ID.
Expect a menu saturated with names you will not understand. From Lemon Haze, to New York Diesel, to the Laughing Buddha, to the White Widow, these products are named in a manner that is hard for one to learn, it is exceptionally hard to know exactly how to select, or what to try.
The staff at the store should be very friendly, if a person does not have the patience or the time to answer your questions, then you are at the wrong place.
We advise you to stay away from the more touristy coffee shops, as they are constantly saturated with tourists, and sometimes the help or explanation might come in short.
We advise you to opt for a more local store, one that is smaller, and where you are able to get familiar with the product and understand the culture, Solo on Niewmarkt, and The Old Church on the Amstel are both the local’s best picks.
We hope this article was useful, if you have any questions, or advice, feel free to leave us a comment.
