NBC’s ’90s sitcom Friends is one of the most beloved comedy shows ever made. It is also one of the most watched, as fans still find comfort in countless revisits to the stories of six friends living in New York City during the 1990s. Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, and Joey often gathered at Monica’s apartment, but their favorite spot when venturing outside was undoubtedly the coffee shop known as Central Perk. It was here where relationships were broken, confessions were made, and kisses were finally shared. Naturally, if one wanted to visit a famous location, Central Perk would be one of them. And as it turns out, you’ll soon be able to. Sort of. As reported by Variety, the pop-up experiments worked, and Central Perk is set to open its first permanent location in New York City. The site will be Times Square (more specifically, “on the northeast corner of 7th Avenue and 47th Street”), and it will be the second permanent Central Perk location worldwide. The first one opened in Boston in 2023, and Paul Landino, an executive at CenPer Holdings, compared the Boston experience with what New York City will get:
“Boston showed us the appetite for Central Perk is real, and New York lets us build on that excitement at an even bigger scale. The way fans engaged with the coffeehouse — what they loved, what they wanted more of — directly informed how we’re bringing the experience to Times Square. What makes Central Perk so special is that our customers naturally create their own personal Friends experience within the café.”
Labeled as a “modern-day version” of the iconic TV location, Central Perk will be a regular coffee shop where visitors can enjoy a cup of joe and purchase signature coffee blends. Peter van Roden, EVP of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences, said the following about the opening:
“Central Perk is one of the most iconic landmarks in television history. After the incredible response in Boston, bringing Central Perk to Times Square isn’t just the next step — it’s a homecoming. This is about delivering an experience in the heart of Manhattan, where the story began, and letting fans from around the world step into a space that’s both nostalgic yet freshly reimagined. There’s no better place than New York City to celebrate the legacy of Friends and to continue building on the connection fans feel with Central Perk.”

Central Perk Opens Fall 2025

Details are still under wraps, but the article has a concept image of the planned coffee shop. Let’s be honest, it might not look impressive at first glance, or even particularly accurate to the beloved location on which it’s supposed to be based. While we have to take into account that the shop is not part of a pop-up experience or a fan event like we’ve seen before and is instead a real coffee shop with a specific theme, many have questioned how the shop shown in the image is a reflection of Friends’ Central Perk. “So they made a different coffee shop and slapped on the name to fool people into going,” said one user on X, with another adding, “Why design and build a central perk that looks literally NOTHING like central perk.” There’s no opening date yet for Central Perk, and all we know is that it will open its doors this fall. Tom Colicchio, the Top Chef judge and James Beard Award-winning gastronomy specialist, is in charge of the project. For those concerned that the experience won’t resemble that of the popular sitcom, rest assured that the shop will have a replica of the iconic orange sofa featured in the show, and it will sell Friends merchandise as well.

Release Date

1994 – 2004

Network

NBC

Showrunner

Marta Kauffman

Directors

Kevin S. Bright, Gary Halvorson, Michael Lembeck, James Burrows, Gail Mancuso, Peter Bonerz, David Schwimmer, Robby Benson, Shelley Jensen, Terry Hughes, Dana De Vally Piazza, Alan Myerson, Pamela Fryman, Steve Zuckerman, Thomas Schlamme, Roger Christiansen, Sheldon Epps, Arlene Sanford, David Steinberg, Joe Regalbuto, Mary Kay Place, Paul Lazarus, Sam Simon, Todd Holland

Writers

Jeff Astrof, Mike Sikowitz, Brian Boyle, Patty Lin, Bill Lawrence, R. Lee Fleming Jr.