The 60-or-so coffeeshops featured in the guide section of the ACD are there because I think they are the places a visitor to Amsterdam is most likely to enjoy. There isn't much science about this, but the following background information attempts to explain why these particular shops were selected and what the ratings mean.
Nothing is as it appears and everything is a paradox. Despite the apparent evidence of sex and drugs and rock'n'roll everywhere, the Netherlands is actually a rather conservative place. Public transport is fast, affordable and efficient and trains run on time, but the Dutch put just as much effort into enjoying themselves.
Unlike, say, the French, Dutch pride is more subtle and self-assured. If a Dutch person can speak your language, they will. Nobody expects foreigners to speak Dutch but that doesn't stop them from feeling quietly superior.
In contrast to the US, service with a smile is not necessarily the norm in the Netherlands (or the UK for that matter). See also the FAQ page.
If you think you're too cool to be a tourist, think again. If (like me) you come from a foreign country and don't speak Dutch, you're a tourist. Things will make much more sense if you can accept that fact.
Which brings us to the subject of tourist coffeeshops. To describe a place as "touristy" is often intended to be derogative, but a tourist-friendly coffeeshop can be a good thing. Some shops, even in the centre, do not welcome foreigners. Others specialise in ripping-off tourists with average grass at over-inflated prices. The trick is to find a good tourist coffeeshop.
As a tourist you'll probably want to use the coffeeshops as cafes to hang out in. Some coffeeshops don't encourage this kind of behaviour. These tend to be very small places with little room for people to sit around drinking coffee and smoking. They use techniques like uncomfortable seats and draughts through open doors and windows to make you more inclined to buy some grass and go away. In a few extreme cases they might insist that any cannabis consumed on the premises is purchased there.
A native Amsterdammer might be looking for a big bag of buds to take home and smoke later. They will be less concerned about the quality of the coffeeshop and more interested in getting their favourite grass at a good price. A tourist, on the other hand, might like to try several different varieties over the course of a week or a weekend or whatever. The guide is biased towards the tourist's point of view insofar as a place is not significantly marked down for being a little expensive so long as it offers a wide selection in small quantities (e.g. 1 gram or 10 guilder deals).
A good coffeeshop, therefore, is one that welcomes tourists and doesn't insist that you buy their grass (so long as you buy a drink) but tries to entice you to buy by offering a good range of quality buds at reasonable prices.
All of the shops featured in the ACD guide section satisfy these basic criteria. There are plenty of them in a wide range of types and sizes so there should be something to suit all tastes. Pictures and a brief description provide some impression of what each place is like. As an additional guide there are percentage ratings. These ratings are, inevitably, highly subjective. They reflect my opinion based on quality and variety of cannabis, comfort, facilities and that indefinable X-factor that determines whether I like them or not.
None of the featured shops scores less than 50% on the principal that anywhere worth less than that would not be included in the guide. Stars are awarded in proportion to the percentage rating as follows:
| < 50% | Not included | |
| 50% | |
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| 55% | |
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| 60% | |
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| 65% | |
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| 70% | |
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| 75% | |
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| 80% | |
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| 85% | |
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| 90% | |
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| 95% | |
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| 100% | Impossible |
There are too many coffeeshops in Amsterdam to check them all out so there's always a chance that I've missed out somewhere really special. Most of the places I have visited have been recommended by someone or highly rated by another guide to Amsterdam. Similarly, I tend to avoid places that people tell me are crap. That means that all of the very best shops are, probably, in the guide. There is no definitive list of places to avoid because of the likelihood that many of the worst are unknown to me. I've been in a few that didn't make it into the guide, but, from what I'm told, there are more unwelcoming places around.
The ratings also take into account the opinions of my travelling companions and correspondents to the ACD. Since April 2001, the text of all of the comments that I've received are also included.
Endorsements by Kip and Joe Pauker are specifically noted on the pages along with any Cannabis Cups.
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