Three very different kinds of place share similar signs in Amsterdam. Here is how to tell them apart before you walk in.

Easy to confuse

Amsterdam has several kinds of places that can look alike from the street, and the names do not always help. Walking into the wrong one can mean a surprise, a wasted trip or a misunderstanding. This is a quick way to tell them apart.

Coffeeshop

A licensed venue that sells cannabis and hash to adults. It usually also sells coffee, tea, soft drinks and snacks. You must be 18 or older and show ID. You can buy a limited amount, use it on site and stay to relax. Coffeeshops do not sell alcohol.

Café

A normal café, bar or restaurant. It serves coffee, food and alcohol, and it does not sell cannabis. If a place has "coffee" in its name and a menu of food and beer, it is probably a café. Tobacco cannot be smoked inside, and cannabis is not sold.

Smartshop

A shop selling legal herbal and natural products and, in the Netherlands, magic truffles. It is a separate business from a coffeeshop, and it does not sell cannabis. See smartshops and truffles.

Clues on the street

  • A menu board with weights and prices. Likely a coffeeshop.
  • A doorway with someone checking ID. Likely a coffeeshop.
  • Tables with beer and food. A café.
  • A shopfront with herbs, supplements and mushrooms-style imagery. A smartshop.

Do not rely on street sellers

People selling from the street are illegal and their goods are unreliable. Use a licensed coffeeshop. Find one in our directory.

What to do if you are unsure

  • Ask at the door.
  • Look the place up on Dam Guide or another trusted source.
  • Check reviews.

Read how to order once you have found the right place.