I have only 3 hours and a half to kill. Some shopping, maybe a snack and a cup of coffee... Any place you recommend? Is smoking allowed in certain areas?
Also, on my returning flight I'd love to get some cheese (not a whole lot) from either duty free or the supermarket in the airport - would it be allowed in U.S.? I know there are some rules regarding cheese (age and packaging) but I'm never clear as what is allowed and what not. Maybe someone can help? TIA

There is a casino at the beginning of pier E. A branch of the Rijksmuseum is located between piers E and F.
I like the restaurants upstairs in terminal 3 (piers F / G section)
Smoking is allowed at designated smoking sections.

go to www.schiphol.nl amd click on the English version for a good overview. Plenty of shooping opportunities, including cheese.

I always bring cheese home from my visits to Holland. No problem. Also no problem bringing back some chocolates! Or some windmill refrigerator magnets.

The duty free shop is rated one of the tops in Europe. Get prices in advance on their website at www.schiphol.nl. Click the Union Jack if you can't read Dutch.

Thank you, all. I did look at the airport website and I'm still wondering if it's worth going through passport check to shop in the supermarket. Is there a better selection or better prices than duty free? I could go for a ton of chocolates and stroopwaffels (sp)

It is rare that passport control / immigration / customs takes more than 5 minutes at AMS, so just go for it and check out the supermarket at Schiphol Plaza.

This made me laugh -
Until very recently my husband worked in Holland. We live on an island in the Irish Sea, where shopping is somewhat limited, and he sent me a text meassage "at Schipol, anything do you want?

my prompt answer was "a large diamond".

check the shop out. plenty to do at Schipol.

Schiphol airport has a food court that has a bunch of eateries and plenty of other stores that you can check out. They also have a little grocery store as well that sells cheeses, some deli food, soda, etc. Not sure if you can bring cheeses back to the US through the custom.

They also have a meditation room in the 2nd floor of the airport, which I thought was rather neat