Once upon a time, Friends fans could visit Central Perk cafes in Beijing and Guangzhou to relive the iconic sitcom.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic caused these cafes to close.
But for travelers to Shanghai, there is still hope!
The city has a thriving coffee culture, and its Central Perk cafe has managed to stand the test of time.
This makes it even more worth visiting for Friends enthusiasts, so they can immerse themselves in the beloved world of the show!
China has so many instagrammable places to visit, check them out!
What Is The Address?
If you type “160 Haerbin Road” into Google Maps you will get the correct location.
Take the Shanghai Metro to Hailun Road(海伦路)on Line 10.
Once there, you will need to leave the station from Exit 3.
- Time for a bit of walking — once you exit out of Exit 3, turn left.
- Continue walking along Siping Road through the intersection.
- The Sheraton Hotel should be on your right.
- Keep walking and turn left on Xinjia Road.
- Follow that road and you’ll come to a fork in the road: go right (it should be called Wutai Road).
- Keep walking on Wutai Road before turning right on Ha’erbin Road.
- Central Perk will be located a bit further down on the left.
- The sign is a little hard to find, so just look for the red awnings.
Tips:
- In China, Apple Maps (or another map program) work better than Google Maps.
- Here’s the Chinese address which may come in handy if you’re asking for directions: 虹口区哈尔滨路160号1913老洋行A105号, 近嘉兴路
Opening Time:
Closed on Monday.
11am to 10pm From Tuesday to Sunday
My Experience:
As I walked into Central Perk, I was greeted by a sign on the door reading “Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You are gonna love it.”
Could it get any more perfect, just as Chandler would say?
When I entered, I immediately headed straight to the orange sofa, just like they would in the show.
The attention to detail was impeccable, from the lit up service sign to the menu board that looked like it was straight from the set.
I took advantage of the emptiness and captured some fantastic photos without anyone in them.
I ordered a Rachel cupcake (which was Red Velvet) and a latte.
The Rachel cupcake was delightful, with light frosting.
My latte came with gorgeous rose latte art, served in a cow-print mug that made me think of Joey’s famous line.
And the best part? I got Hugsy (Joey’s bedtime penguin friend) all to myself, which allowed me to snap even more photos.
Even though I was there alone, it was effortless to just sit back and relax as they play Friends episodes all day long.
I ended up watching 2 episodes while I was there.
It’s well known that many Chinese watch Friends to help them learn English.
There was also free wifi available with the password “iloverachel” just as I had read online.
The cafe even had its own “Smelly Cat” which peeked at me from behind the sofa.
I spent a total of 60 RMB, which came out to about £8 – easily my cheapest visit to a themed cafe, but also one of my favorites.
I had a fantastic time and I can’t wait to go back.
A must-visit for all Friends fans!