by Joy Nedved
The Greenhouse coffee shop is one of the best-kept secrets in town. Some of you may be familiar with its downtown location (Oudezijds Voorburgwaal), but for those in the know it’s the Greenhouse in the Old South (Tolstraat 91) and nothing else. Walking into this grand coffee shop reminds one of what the parlor in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” looked like and I couldn’t help but noticing the autographed Burt Reynolds’s photo so maybe…
The burgundy sway on the walls, low lying, swanky but comfortable couches and leather ensconced bar all add to the wonderful ambiance of this shop. The bud tenders are friendly and greet you as you come in. There is even a turnstile at the entrance to presumably keep the riff raff out.
This is where Quentin Tarantino gets his smoke on. I can almost picture him lying negligently on one of the many plush couches waxing on and on about zombies, Mr. Pink, and Vincent Vega. He is only one of the many celebs who come here on the DL while visiting Amsterdam. Last year, my friend hung out with Snoop Dog and Method Man here. I keep hoping to run into Luke Perry but so far no such luck. I was hoping my thousand emails to him detailing my weekly sojourns there would prompt him to jump a plane and come over but I guess he’s busy getting ready for his guest spot on the new 90210. Maybe he’ll make it back for the High Times Festival.
Speaking of High Times, the Greenhouse menu is the only coffee house to have gotten 14 awards in just three years. Their menu also boasts 4 out of 5 Cannabis Cup winners. Every year buses are chartered; multiple taxis are hailed just to get judges out to this location. They have literally dominated the competition since 1988, which is no mean feat when you count all of the coffee shops in Amsterdam. It’s a bit pricier than your average coffee shop but the smoke is well worth it. After all, what else would you expect from a place whose interior is decorated like a ritzy brothel and where Woody Harrelson, The Rolling Stones, and Cher all come to light the pipe and say hello to their little friend, Mary Jane.
Looking for a place with atmosphere and hoping to rub elbows with celebs and locals while enjoying some of the best weed in town then the Greenhouse is for you. See you around the pipe and if you see Luke Perry then give him my regards!
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