Matthew Perry Honored at First Permanent Central Perk Coffeehouse — See Inside (Exclusive)

Central Perk Coffeehouse, a modern version of the beloved café from 'Friends,' is opening its doors in Boston on Nov. 14

Central Perk Coffeehouse, the beloved café frequented by Monica, Chandler, and the gang on Friends, is opening its doors in Boston on Nov. 14 — and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look inside the shop.

Inspired by the NBC series, which ran from 1994 to 2004 and starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, and Matt LeBlanc, Central Perk is the first permanent coffee shop and restaurant serving light fare. It's located on Boston’s most famous boulevard: Newbury Street. (There was previously a month-long pop-up location in New York to celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary in 2014.)

The company delayed their opening after Perry's death on Oct. 28. Now, Central Perk will honor Perry on the new opening day.

The 2,600-square-foot venue, a collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment and CenPer, is filled with Friends-inspired memorabilia and subtle nods to the show’s characters and plot lines. And of course, it features an oversized orange couch. There are also coffee cup sleeves featuring iconic quotes from each of the six Friends.

On Nov. 14, "Central Perk Coffeehouse will distribute the Chandler Bing 'Can I Interest You in a Sarcastic Comment' sleeve exclusively for the entire day, in honor of the life and enduring legacy of Matthew Perry," according to a press release.

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The Space

If you’re a Friends mega-fan, you'll notice plenty of throwbacks to the show’s trademark moments in the shop. But Central Perk's creators are quick to clarify that the space isn’t an attempt to duplicate the show’s original set.

“It's not about creating a replica of it, it's really looking at what it would look like today,” Glen Coben, founder and principal designer of Glen & Co Architecture tells PEOPLE. “It’s a modern interpretation of what a coffee shop or Central Perk would look like in 2024.”

After walking down from the brownstone's steps, guests are greeted by a a floor-to-ceiling black-and-white photo of the fountain from the Friends opening sequence, along with classic black-and-white mosaic flooring. An orange central banquette in a muted orange tone provides comfortable seating, while a full-sized table for small groups or individuals on laptops sits under a lighting fixture made up of upside down coffee cups and saucers. An oversized piece depicting a cup and saucer by pop artist Burton Morris, who had artwork on the original set, hangs above one nook (above).

In the table seating area, a photograph of the original set appears in black and white. “The historical elements are black and white,” says Coben.

A door leads to an outdoor seating area, filled with green Central Perk umbrellas adorned with the brand’s updated logo. A hallway door is emblazoned with a gold chicken and duck, calling back to the feathered friends owned by Chandler and Joey, and leads to the common hallway with a purple bathroom door with a gold frame around it, like Monica’s front door.

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As for an iconic orange sofa inspired by the one that the squad sipped their coffee on, that's tucked in a semi-private area filled with glowing orange details, ranging from tufted velvet walls to a giant electric sign that reads “the one with…,” which plays on the title format of each episode of the show.

“The idea is the one with ... you,” said Gurdock. “So this is a place for everybody to come. The show is no longer in production, but you get to create your own stories here now.”

The Concept

The idea to bring Central Perk to life in the present day has been stewing for quite some time. It was designed to be a warm, inviting place where people could gather casually like the characters do on the show, and celebrate everything from the small moments to big milestones in their lives.

“The show is going to be 30 years old next year. It has global appeal because it has universal themes of boyfriends and first apartments and first jobs and navigating roommates — something that everybody who's in their twenties around the world can relate to,” says Kathleen Wallis, vice president of global themed entertainment at Warner Bros. Discovery. “One of the most beloved aspects of the show is Central Perk, and we had a dream to bring this to life for years.”

The Food and Drink

Central Perk was designed to be visited no matter the time of day.

“The same place that you come to in the morning could be the same place you come to meet a date later in the day,” says Gurdock.

In the evenings, menu items from several local vendors will include local beers and natural wines, along with shared plates for a light meal. Many options on the menu will have subtle references to the show that fans will recognize like The Moist Maker, Monica’s jam, and Grandma’s Chicken Salad.

Coffee for purchase will feature the already-existing options from the brand’s coffee line, each with a funny names: How You Doin’?, a medium roast blend; Pivot Blend, the medium to dark roast; the We Were on a Coffee Break dark roast; Oh.My.GAWD cold brew blend; the Gunther! espresso; and the Moo Point, a caffeine-free option. There is also a Friendsgiving pumpkin spice roast.

Customers can grab merchandise ranging from sweatshirts to drinkware with the spot's logo, and some Boston-specific items, like “You’re my Lobster” refrigerator magnets.

"It was important to make sure that they're really good coffees,” Gurdock continued. “Coffee drinkers you want for their lifetime. And people will be loyal to the coffee once they taste it. I would just say to anybody who's reading, listening, or anything, give it a try. Taste it — you won't be disappointed.”

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Top Chef alum and famed restaurateur Tom Colicchio serves as an investor and advisor for Central Perk. Becoming involved in the brand was a no-brainer for Colicchio, whose cousin was already involved. However, it was the longevity of Friends that really reeled him in.

“The Friends brand is a great brand, and so it seemed like a really good idea,” Colicchio tells PEOPLE. “I think people will use this as their everyday coffee shop.”

While many menu items feature fun names inspired by the show, the quality of the options shouldn't be underestimated.

“This is not a novelty in any way, shape, or form," says Gurdock. "This is a real-life, real-world, café that will have high attention to not only the quality of the coffee, and our pursuit of that, but also the food.”

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