In my opinion, there’s no better hub for pizza lovers in the United States than NYC. From trendy wood-fired oven joints to dollar-slice hole-in-the-walls, there is something for everyone and anyone—no matter your palate, diet, or budget.
As a matter of fact, this can even ring true for TV show characters, such as the ones on Friends. Every single one of them, while a fan of the Italian staple, value different things in their pizza-going experience, and would probably dine at whichever pizzeria in NYC best meets their personal taste and needs.
That being said, here’s where each member of TV’s greatest group of friends would go and grab a slice in their native city.
Rachel: Pizza by Certé
Rachel is the type of girl who likes to keep up with the latest trends, so it makes sense that she’d be a regular at a green pizza place like Pizza by Certé. Plus, with Bloomingdale’s and Louis Vuitton only three blocks away, she doesn’t have to walk far to shop at her favorite stores.
Location: 132 E 56th Street, New York, NY 10022
Ross: Ray’s Pizza
For a traditional guy like Ross, it doesn’t get better than a slice of classic NYC pizza—even if the ingredients aren’t so high-quality. As a result, he’d most likely go to a place like Ray’s. It’s simple, cheap, and if that weren’t enough, it’s a fast pick-up from his favorite place in the city—the Museum of Natural History.
Location: 462 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10024
Monica: Di Fara Pizza
Unlike her brother, Monica, with her chef background, is a connoisseur of exquisite flavors, and would tolerate nothing but the best. Which is why she’d probably go to Di Fara in Brooklyn—dubbed “best of the best” by Anthony Bourdain.
Location: 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY 11230
Chandler: Paulie Gee’s
We all know at least one person whose obsessed with puns—including ones about food—and Chandler is no different. At Paulie Gee’s, he’d definitely get a good laugh out of some of the pie names, like “Arugula Shmoogula” and “Ricotta Be Kiddin’ Me”. And if it wasn’t already obvious, he’d be getting some pretty good pizza as well.
Location: 60 Greenpoint Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phoebe: Cafe Viva Gourmet Pizza
As a vegetarian, Phoebe can’t always have her fair share of pizza choices when she goes out to get a slice. But at Cafe Viva, every single pizza on the menu is meat-free, and even if she were to become a vegan in the near future, there are plenty of dairy-free options for her to choose from.
Location: 2578 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
Joey: Bleecker Street Pizza
Being the most vocal about his love of pizza amongst the group, it’s pretty safe to say that Joey will eat some whenever he has a craving—even if it’s past 12:00 am. Lucky for him, Bleecker Street Pizza has all-night delivery; and if his pizza still hasn’t come within the allotted thirty minutes, he only has a three-minute walk from his apartment to get himself a pie.
Location: 69 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014
Now feel free to try any of these NYC pizza joints for yourself—and don’t forget to bring your friends!