The 5 Best Coffeeshop Terraces by the Water in Amsterdam (2026)
Amsterdam without a table by the water isn't quite Amsterdam. The city has several hundred coffeeshops, but only a handful have an actual spot on a canal or a lake, with room to sit outside. We checked five addresses for 2026: exact location, opening hours, and what makes each one stand out. One thing worth flagging upfront: most of Amsterdam's famous waterways (the grachten) are canals, not rivers in the strict sense. The city's only real river is the Amstel, and we address that below.
Easy Times: the terrace on Prinsengracht
Address: Prinsengracht 476, 1017 KG Amsterdam. Open daily 9am to 1am. Easy Times has been around since 1985, making it one of the older coffeeshops in the city. Its small terrace sits right on the Prinsengracht, one of Amsterdam's most photographed canals, so you can watch the boats go by while you sit outside, just a short walk from the centre. The interior stands out for its style, with purple lighting and house-baked edibles at the counter.
Basjoe: the quiet charm of Kloveniersburgwal
Address: Kloveniersburgwal 62, 1012 CX Amsterdam. Open daily 10am to 1am. Basjoe is a more low-key shop, used mostly by locals around Nieuwmarkt. Its sunny terrace sits directly on the canal, in a calm setting away from the main tourist routes. The hash selection is notably wide, with varieties sourced from Morocco, Afghanistan, Nepal and India.
The Bulldog The First: the original 1975 terrace
Address: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 90, Amsterdam. The Bulldog The First is widely credited as Amsterdam's very first coffeeshop, opened in 1975. Its terrace sits right on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, one of the canals running through the Red Light District, in a building everyone recognises for its brightly coloured facade. It's close to a required stop for anyone interested in the history of cannabis in Amsterdam, though it stays busy with visitors.
Amnesia: right on the water at Herengracht
Address: Herengracht 133, Amsterdam. Open daily 9am to 1am. Amnesia has been open since 1980 and is part of the Barney's group. Its terrace is small, just a couple of tables right at the edge of the Herengracht, one of the city's most elegant canals, but it's enough to enjoy the boats passing by in summer. The interior is a sharp contrast to the outside, dark and purple, closer to a club than a classic coffeeshop.
Sensemillia: lake views away from the centre
Address: Meer en Vaart 177B, Osdorp (Amsterdam Nieuw-West). Open Monday to Thursday 9am to midnight, Friday until 1am, weekends 10am to 1am (Sunday to midnight). Sensemillia has been open since 1981 and sits right on the Sloterplas, Amsterdam's largest lake. It's not a canal in the historic centre, but the setting is rare: a terrace directly on the water, in a quiet residential area, well away from the mass-tourism routes. The vibe is unpretentious and prices stay fair.
What about the Amstel, Amsterdam's actual river?
Plenty of well-known terraces do run along the Amstel, Amsterdam's only real river (cafes like De Ysbreeker or Cafe Cafe Amsterdam, for example). But as far as we could find, no coffeeshop currently has a terrace directly on the Amstel itself: all five spots on this list sit on canals (grachten), or in Sensemillia's case, on a lake. That's a distinction worth stating plainly rather than stretching the facts to fit a tidy headline.
Before you go: rules, age and access
Coffeeshops are only open to adults aged 18 and over, with valid ID. Amsterdam has been discussing a possible residency requirement that would limit access to Dutch residents only: as of now, that rule is not in force and tourists can still enter, but the situation could change. We track this in our article on Amsterdam's coffeeshop tourist ban plans, worth a read before you plan your visit.
To keep the moment going, without THC
If you're after a THC-free option to take home or use after your walk, the Odile.green team carries a few CBD products designed for downtime, such as our CBD & CBG gummies or the Harmony Active Calm CBD balm. For a primer on the difference between CBD and THC, our CBD buying guide is a good starting point before you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Are coffeeshop terraces open all year round?
Most stay open year-round, though comfort obviously depends on the weather. Spring and summer remain the best seasons to make the most of them.
Do you need to be a Dutch resident to sit on the terrace?
Not as of now. Access remains open to any adult aged 18 or over with valid ID. A residency-only rule has been discussed in Amsterdam but is not currently in force.
Can you buy CBD at these coffeeshops?
It depends on the shop: some coffeeshops also carry CBD products, but not all of them do. For CBD products checked against EU rules, the Odile.green shop is a reliable online alternative.
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