The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World: The Twin Towers, Windows on the World, and the Rebirth of New York by Tom RostonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Windows on the World restaurant was on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center North Tower, ¼ mile up with an incredible view of the city. Imagined and built by Joe Baum, a noted NYC restaurateur and showman, it opened in 1976 to rave reviews. One month short of its 25th anniversary, the Twin Towers collapsed on September 11, 2001.
This is the story of the development of this fantastic restaurant, from the back story of Joe Baum to the politics involved in building the World Trade Center and the extravagance of the restaurant. It is an extensively researched book, with the author conducting more than 150 personal interviews. He focuses on various individuals from chefs and wine stewards to dishwashers and line cooks. The reader truly gets a feel for the sense of family and camaraderie that was created by the individuals working there. Quite a few photos are included as well.
CNN and Time Studios have created a 40-minute documentary “Top of the World” about the restaurant, which was released in September 2026. You can view the trailer --
https://deadline.com/2026/08/top-of-t..., and it will be available for viewing on HBO Max starting today (10/8/2026).
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