Windows on the World
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant, hospitality |
| Founded | April 19, 1976 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Joe Baum |
| Defunct | September 11, 2001 |
| Fate | Destroyed during the September 11 attacks |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | New York City |
Key people | Joe Baum (conceptualizer), Warren Platner (designer), Philippe Feret (executive chef), Michael Lomonaco (final head chef) |
| Products | Dining, conference, entertainment venue |
Number of employees | 72 (employees present during September 11 attacks) (2001) |
Windows on the World served as a premier dining, conference, and entertainment venue located on the 106th and 107th stories of the North Tower within the original World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City. The facility housed the flagship restaurant Windows on the World, a smaller establishment named Wild Blue (previously known as "Cellar in the Sky"), The Greatest Bar on Earth (formerly the Hors d'Oeuvrerie), a wine education center, as well as meeting and banquet spaces situated on the 106th floor. Conceptualized by restaurateur Joe Baum and initially crafted by designer Warren Platner, the complex spanned roughly . Additionally, the management oversaw the Skydive Restaurant, a cafeteria with seating for 180 located on the 44th floor, catering primarily to office employees.
The venue commenced operations on April 19, 1976, but was ultimately destroyed during the September 11 attacks. Tragically, all personnel present perished due to inaccessible escape routes above the 92nd floor following the aircraft impact.
Operations
The principal dining area offered panoramic views facing north and east toward the Manhattan skyline. The establishment enforced a dress code requiring men to wear jackets; those without were accommodated at the bar where jackets were also available for loan in the main dining room. Elements such as tableware, carpeting, lighting fixtures, menus, and communication devices were designed by Milton Glaser.
Wild Blue provided a more secluded dining environment located on the southern side of the restaurant. The bar extended along both the south and east facades of 1 World Trade Center, affording vistas of southern Manhattan landmarks including Liberty State Park, Ellis Island, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The kitchens, utility areas, and conference facilities were all situated on the 106th floor.
Following damage sustained in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which resulted in the death of employee Wilfredo Mercado and impaired key receiving zones essential for restaurant operations, Windows on the World temporarily closed. In 1994, management rights were transferred to Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Company by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey after former operator Inhilco surrendered its lease. After an extensive $25 million refurbishment, operations resumed on June 26, 1996. The previously named Cellar in the Sky space reopened post-Labor Day and was relaunched as Wild Blue, an American steakhouse concept, in 1999.
By 2000, Windows on the World had achieved revenues totaling $37 million, ranking it as the top-grossing restaurant nationwide. Among its executive chefs was Philippe Feret from Brasserie Julien, with Michael Lomonaco serving as its final head chef.
September 11 attacks
The destruction of Windows on the World occurred when the North Tower collapsed during the events of September 11. At that time, it was hosting its usual breakfast crowd alongside attendees of the Risk Waters Financial Technology Congress when American Airlines Flight 11 impacted floors 93 through 99 at 8:46 a.m. All individuals inside perished because escape routes were either obliterated or blocked. Fatalities resulted from smoke inhalation, falls from height, or being trapped during the tower's collapse at 10:28 a.m. Observations documented at least five occupants falling from the restaurant.
Seventy-two employees were present during the attack, including assistant general manager Christine Olender whose calls to Port Authority police constituted some of the last communications from within the restaurant. Also inside were sixteen employees from Incisive Media-Risk Waters Group along with seventy-six guests or contractors. Port Authority executive director Neil Levin was among those having breakfast there. After approximately 9:40 a.m., no further distress signals were received. The final individuals to depart prior to impact—Michael Nestor, Liz Thompson, Geoffrey Wharton, and Richard Tierney—exited via elevator at 8:44 a.m., surviving the incident.
Larry Silverstein, who had recently acquired leasing rights for the World Trade Center from the Port Authority and frequently held breakfast meetings at Windows on the World, was scheduled to attend that morning but narrowly avoided being present due to a dermatologist appointment recommended by his wife.
Reception
Windows on the World’s final version garnered a range of critical responses. In 1996, Ruth Reichl of the New York Times awarded it two stars out of four, describing it more as a popular spot for visitors than a premier dining establishment. William Grimes, in his 2009 publication Appetite, observed that "At Windows, New York was the main course." Ryan Sutton from Eater.com in 2014 recognized Windows as an early example of captive audience dining, functioning as a destination in its own right rather than merely an element within its setting.
Legacy
Following the September 11 attacks, the Windows of Hope Family Relief Fund was created to assist families of those employed in food service, beverage, and hospitality sectors who perished at the World Trade Center. Among its founders were executive chef Michael Lomonaco and proprietor David Emil.
On January 4, 2006, former employees of Windows launched Colors, a cooperative restaurant in Manhattan that paid tribute to their fallen colleagues through a menu reflecting the diversity of the original staff. This venue ceased operations in 2017 but resumed service in 2019. Plans to revive Windows on the World atop the new One World Trade Center were abandoned in 2011; instead, One World Observatory now houses dining options named ONE Dine, ONE Mix, and ONE Café.
Cultural influence
It has been suggested that The Falling Man, an iconic photograph depicting a man descending headfirst during the September 11 attacks, is Jonathan Briley, who worked as an audio technician at Windows on the World. He was also the younger sibling of Alex Briley, known as the original "G.I." from the group Village People.
In March 2005, French author Frédéric Beigbeder published Windows on the World, a novel centered on two brothers present at the restaurant on September 11. Similarly, Kenneth Womack’s 2012 work The Restaurant at the End of the World reconstructs the experiences of staff and guests within the complex on that day.
In 2021, young adult writer Alan Gratz released Ground Zero, which tells the story of a boy and his father inside Windows on the World during the events of September 11, 2001.