THE NETHERLANDS - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1357

Paradox is the most gezellig (cozy) coffeeshop I found—a mellow, graceful place. The
managers, Ludo and Wiljan, and their staff are patient with descriptions and happy to walk
you through all your options. This is a rare coffeeshop that serves light meals. The juice is
fresh, the music is easy, and the neighborhood is charming (single tobacco-free joints-€3,
loaner bongs, games, free Wi-Fi, daily 10:00-20:00, two blocks from Anne Frank House at
Eerste Bloemdwarsstraat 2, tel. [phone], www.paradoxcoffeeshop.com ).
The Grey Area —a hole-in-the-wall spot with three tiny tables—is a cool, welcoming,
andsmokyplaceappreciatedamonglocalaficionadosasaperennialwinnerofAmsterdam's
Cannabis Cup awards. Judging by the autographed photos on the wall, many famous Amer-
icans have dropped in (say hi to Willie Nelson). You're welcome to just nurse a bottomless
cup of coffee. It's run by friendly American Jon, with helpful Adam and Stevan. They even
have a vaporizer if you want to try “smoking” without smoking (daily 12:00-20:00, they
close relatively early out of consideration for their neighbors, between Dam Square and
Anne Frank House at Oude Leliestraat 2, tel. [phone], www.greyarea.nl ) .
Siberië Coffeeshop is a short walk from Central Station, but feels cozy, with a friendly
canalside ambience. Clean, big, and bright, this place has the vibe of a mellow Starbucks
(daily11:00-23:00,Fri-Satuntil24:00,freeWi-Fiforcustomers,helpfulstaff,Englishmenu,
Brouwersgracht 11, tel. [phone], www.coffeeshopsiberie.nl ) .
La Tertulia is a sweet little mother-and-daughter-run place with pastel decor and a
cheery terrarium atmosphere (Tue-Sat 11:00-19:00, closed Sun-Mon,sandwiches, brownies,
games, Prinsengracht 312).
TheBulldogCafé isthehigh-profile,leadingtouristychainofcoffeeshops.Theseestab-
lishments are young but welcoming, with reliable selections. They're pretty comfortable for
green tourists wanting to just hang out for a while. The flagship branch, in a former police
station right on Leidseplein, is very handy, offering alcohol upstairs, pot downstairs, and fun
outdoor seating. It's the rare place where you can have a beer while you smoke and watch
theworldskateboardby(daily10:00-1:00inthemorning,Fri-Satuntil3:00,Leidseplein17,
tel. [phone], www.thebulldog.com ) . Their original café still sits on the canal near the
Old Church in the Red Light District.
The Dampkring is a rough-and-ready constant party. It's a high-profile, busy place,
filled with a young clientele and loud music, but the owners still take the time to explain
what they offer. Scenes from the movie Ocean's Twelve were filmed here (daily 10:00-1:00
in the morning, close to Spui at Handboogstraat 29, tel. [phone], www.dampkring.nl ) .
DutchFlowers ,convenientlylocatednearSpuisquareonSingelcanal,hasaverycasual
“brown café” ambience, with a mature set of regulars. A couple of tables overlooking the
canal are perfect for enjoying the late-afternoon sunshine (daily 10:00-23:00, until later Fri-
Sat, on the corner of Heisteeg and Singel at Singel 387, tel. [phone]).