In 1976, a unique destination for dining, meeting, and entertainment opened in the heart of New York City: Windows on the World.
Situated on the 107th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, it became widely celebrated for its floor-to-ceiling windows, offering sweeping views of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and New Jersey.
The venue offered a variety of spaces, including the main Windows on the World restaurant, a smaller eatery called Wild Blue (previously known as “Cellar in the Sky” before 1999), and a vibrant bar named The Greatest Bar on Earth, which had earlier been called the Hors d’Oeuvrerie.
Additional facilities included a wine school and conference and banquet rooms for private events, located on the 106th floor.
Tragically, Windows on the World was destroyed in the September 11 attacks. All staff members present in the restaurant that day perished, as the plane’s impact cut off all escape routes above the 92nd floor.
Developed by renowned restaurateur Joe Baum and initially designed by architect Warren Platner, Windows on the World occupied an impressive 50,000 square feet of space in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
The venue also operated the Skydive Restaurant, a 180-seat cafeteria on the 44th floor designed to serve office workers in the building.
The main dining room, positioned to face north and east, provided diners with stunning views of Manhattan’s skyline.
Adherence to a formal dress code was a hallmark of the restaurant, with jackets required for men. Guests without jackets, even those with reservations, were seated at the bar unless they borrowed one of the restaurant’s loaner jackets to access the main dining room.
On the south side of the restaurant, a more intimate dining experience awaited guests at Wild Blue, while the bar extended along the southern and part of the eastern side of 1 World Trade Center.
From the bar’s expansive windows, patrons could take in breathtaking views of southern Manhattan, including the meeting point of the Hudson and East Rivers, Liberty State Park, Ellis Island, Staten Island, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
By 2000, its final full year of operation, Windows on the World had become the highest-grossing restaurant in the United States, generating an impressive $37 million in revenue.
Windows on the World was tragically destroyed when the North Tower collapsed during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
At the time, the restaurant was hosting its usual breakfast service along with the Risk Waters Financial Technology Congress. At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower, impacting floors 93 through 99.
The collision severed all escape routes, including stairwells and elevators, leaving no means of survival for those above the impact zone.
Everyone present in the restaurant perished, succumbing to smoke inhalation, the intense fire, falling or jumping from the building, or the eventual collapse of the tower. Eyewitnesses reported seeing at least five individuals fall or jump from the restaurant’s windows.
In its final years, Windows on the World garnered mixed reviews. Ruth Reichl, the New York Times food critic, wrote in December 1996 that while the venue wasn’t primarily known for its cuisine, even the most discerning diners could enjoy the experience at one of New York’s most iconic tourist destinations.
She awarded the restaurant two out of four stars, reflecting “very good” quality rather than “excellent” or “extraordinary.”
In his 2009 book Appetite, William Grimes encapsulated the restaurant’s appeal, noting, “At Windows, New York was the main course.”
View of World Financial Center from the Windows on the World dining room.
The menu in 1989.
The menu in 1989.
(Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons / WTC Foundation / Flickr via RHP).