Central Perk, clearly a reference to NYC’s iconic Central Park, is located in Greenwich Village, and is the preferred hangout zone for the Friends. This is likely due to the ease of access from their apartments, because there’s no way any of them would willingly travel any further than that for a cup of coffee.
Managed by the oft-sidelined Gunther, Central Perk’s interiors have changed very little over the course of the show. The six of them almost exclusively occupy the large beige-brown sofa and the pair of chairs that accompany it. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the major events that occur in the story take place in this cafe, including the very first scene of the pilot.
“Someone Ate The Only Good Thing In My Life”
Ross, Chandler, Joey
At the cafe, Ross is dejected because his workplace sandwich had been stolen and eaten, which isn’t a big deal, really, except that it’s his “Thanksgiving leftover sandwich”.
Chandler tries to calm him down, but he angrily responds, saying that he is “thirty years old… about to be divorced twice… and just got evicted”, so the “sandwich was the only good thing going on in [his] life.” Monica gets tired of her brother’s moaning, and promises to give him her own.
Joey’s “Air Quotes”
Joey uses air quotes in Friends
Ross is furious at Joey because he mistakenly asks Rachel to marry him, and they have their face-off at the coffeeshop. The former says that he ““accidentally” picked up [his] grandmother’s ring and “accidentally” proposed…”, when his friend admits that he doesn’t know what air quotes refer to.
However, when Ross exhibits his sadness that Joey hadn’t even acknowledged what had happened, the latter apologizes using air quotes. After being told that he isn’t “using it right”, he brings his hands closer together and whispers the words.
Zanshin Vs. Unagi
Ross Unagi
Ross tells Rachel and Phoebe (who had just taken their first self-defense class) that he had “studied karate for a long time”, and refers to a supposed concept known as Unagi.
The Pilot
Rachel wearing her wedding dress in Central Perk in Friends
As the gang sit on their favorite couch and discuss Monica’s dating habits, a woman in a wedding gown, completely drenched in the rain, appears at Central Perk. She then starts talking about her recent life, revealing that she had run away from her own wedding because her to-be husband, Barry, looks like “a Mr. Potato Head”.
Rachel’s introduction is certainly one of the most iconic moments in TV history, not just because of its anecdotal impact, but because it ignited the spark that would soon turn into a pop culture inferno.
Ross Calls Rachel His Lobster
Ross, Rachel, Lobster
Phoebe tells Ross that he and Rachel are going to end up together because “she’s [his] lobster”, and that the crustaceans mate for life. He then repeats the same words to her at the cafe, but she is utterly confused by his meaning.
Ross’ elucidation makes it worse, and asking Phoebe to elaborate doesn’t work out for unsurprising reasons. The moment is quite sad, because Rachel tells him to “accept” the fact that they aren’t good for each other. Thankfully, the episode ends with them (tentatively) back together.
Phoebe’s Smelly Cat
Phoebe sings Smelly Cat in Central Perk
Phoebe states that she’s going to sing a lullaby to her bemused audience, and begins singing her classic “Smelly Cat”, all about the stinky feline.
While she’s done it before, the best performance occurs at the coffeehouse, when all the friends (except Ross) are given one line each to perform. It culminates with everyone joining in with the chorus, especially Chandler and Joey’s enthusiastic addition. One of the warmest, fuzziest feelings this show has ever provided.
The One With The Flashback
Friends Flashback
Although this episode doesn’t exactly involve Central Perk, it takes place when the haunt was originally a bar, around one year prior to the start of the series. Chandler is excited to learn about his new potential roommate, Eric, until Mr. Heckles ruins his plans, forcing him to grudgingly take Joey in (until they start finding out how much they have in common.)
Phoebe discovers that Ross’ wife, Carol, is gay, which then turns into a sexual encounter; it’s interrupted by a few well-timed mishaps. At the conclusion, it’s shown that Rachel really did want to hook up with Chandler, after all.
When Chandler Wears Glasses
Chandler Bing in Central Perk in Friends wearing glasses
Chandler appears in the cafe with a new pair of glasses, and wants to know his friends’ opinions. They are confused, because they had apparently assumed that he had always worn glasses (something about his face, perhaps?)
