It was the most famous dining room in the world. Perched on the 107th floor of the North Tower, Windows on the World wasn't just a restaurant; it was a symbol of global ambition. People didn't just go there to eat. They went there to feel like they owned the horizon.
Looking back at the windows on the world menu 2001, you see a snapshot of a very specific era in American gastronomy. It was right at the edge of the farm-to-table revolution but still held tightly to the decadence of the late 90s. Executive Chef Kevin Zraly had already made the wine program legendary, while the kitchen, under the direction of Executive Chef Michael Lomonaco, was churning out dishes that tried to bridge the gap between "New York power lunch" and "global culinary destination."
The vibe? Pure luxury. The prices? High for the time, though they’d look like a bargain in today’s Manhattan.
The Morning of September 11 and the Final Service
We have to talk about the reality of that final morning. On September 11, 2001, the restaurant was hosting the Risk Waters Group Financial Technology Congress. There were also people just having breakfast. The breakfast menu that day was standard but executed with extreme precision. You had your classic smoked salmon with bagels, brioche French toast, and "The American Breakfast."
It’s heavy to think about, but the windows on the world menu 2001 for breakfast was the last thing hundreds of people experienced. The kitchen was already prepping for lunch service. The prep lists were out. The stocks were simmering.
What Was Actually on the Dinner Menu?
If you had snagged a reservation for dinner in late 2001, you would have found a menu that felt distinctly "Global City." The restaurant was actually divided into three parts: the main dining room, Wild Blue (which was more intimate), and The Greatest Bar on Earth.
The main menu was a mix. It wasn't just one thing. You could get a massive rack of lamb or a delicate piece of sea bass. Honestly, the food often played second fiddle to the view, but the kitchen worked incredibly hard to make sure the plate lived up to the 1,300-foot drop outside the window.
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Starters and Appetizers
The appetizers in 2001 were very much about "The New York Plate."
- Chilled Jumbo Shrimp: A classic that never left the menu. It was served with a spicy cocktail sauce that had a reputation for cleared sinuses.
- Foie Gras: Usually served with some kind of fruit compote, like roasted pears or figs.
- The World Trade Center Salad: A simple but elegant mix of greens, often with a balsamic vinaigrette that became a signature of sorts.
The Entrees
Michael Lomonaco pushed for a menu that reflected the diversity of the city. You weren't just getting French-inspired dishes. You were getting American ingredients with global techniques.
One of the standouts on the windows on the world menu 2001 was the Wild Mushroom Risotto. It was creamy, earthy, and felt like a hug in a bowl—perfect for those nights when the clouds literally drifted past the windows. Then there was the Roasted Rack of Colorado Lamb. It was crusted with herbs and served with a heavy reduction. It was "power food" for the traders and CEOs who frequented the spot.
They also did a lot with seafood. The Grilled Atlantic Salmon and the pan-seared scallops were staples. The scallops were usually enormous, caramelized to a perfect golden brown, and sat atop something like a leek fondue or a citrus-infused puree.
The Greatest Bar on Earth: A Different Kind of Menu
The Greatest Bar on Earth was where the "cool" kids went. It was louder, vibier, and the menu was much more casual. We're talking high-end bar snacks. They had sushi, which was a big deal in the late 90s and early 2000s for a non-Japanese restaurant. They had sliders before "sliders" were on every single menu in America.
You could get a "World View" cocktail and a plate of spring rolls while watching the sunset over New Jersey. It was a more democratic space than the main dining room. You didn't necessarily need a tuxedo, though you still wanted to look sharp.
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The Wine Program: The Real Star
You can't discuss the windows on the world menu 2001 without mentioning the wine. Kevin Zraly’s wine list was a masterpiece. It was huge. It was intimidating to some, but Zraly made it accessible through his "Windows on the World Wine School," which operated out of the restaurant.
The cellar held over 50,000 bottles. They had everything from $30 bottles of Riesling to $3,000 bottles of Bordeaux. The wine list was actually a physical book that felt like a piece of history. In 2001, they were heavily leaning into California Cabernets and Italian Tuscans. The pricing was surprisingly fair because Zraly wanted people to actually drink the wine, not just stare at the price tag.
Why the 2001 Menu Still Matters to Food Historians
Honestly, the windows on the world menu 2001 represents the end of an era in dining. Shortly after 2001, the "Celebrity Chef" era really exploded, and the "Big Box" luxury restaurant started to fade in favor of smaller, grittier, Brooklyn-style spots.
Windows was the last of the true "Grand Dames" of the sky. It wasn't trying to be "fusion" in a forced way. It was just trying to be the best version of New York. The menu didn't use terms like "deconstructed" or "foam." It was about high-quality proteins, classic sauces, and impeccable service.
A Legacy Beyond the Food
The tragedy of 9/11 took the lives of 72 restaurant employees who were on duty that morning. When we look at the menu today, we aren't just looking at prices for lobster or steak. We are looking at the daily work of a family.
After the towers fell, the surviving staff and the restaurant industry came together to form "Windows of Hope," a relief fund for the families of food service workers lost in the attacks. This shifted the legacy of the restaurant from just a place with a great view to a symbol of the industry’s resilience.
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Misconceptions About Dining at Windows
A lot of people think Windows on the World was just for the elite. That’s kinda wrong. While the main dining room was expensive, the restaurant had a massive "Wine School" and the Greatest Bar on Earth which were accessible to regular New Yorkers. You could go up for a drink and a snack for $20-$30 and get the same view as the guy eating the $100 steak.
Another myth is that the food wasn't good because the view was so distracting. While it’s true that some "view" restaurants coast on their location, Lomonaco was a serious chef. He was sourcing from local farms before it was a marketing buzzword. He was obsessed with the quality of the dry-aged beef.
How to Experience the Legacy Today
You can't eat at the 107th floor of the North Tower anymore. But the spirit of the windows on the world menu 2001 lives on in a few ways:
- Michael Lomonaco's Current Work: You can visit Porter House in the Time Warner Center. It carries that same spirit of high-end New York American grill cooking.
- Kevin Zraly’s Wine School: He continues to teach. His book, Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, is updated annually and remains the gold standard for beginners.
- The 9/11 Memorial & Museum: They have preserved artifacts from the restaurant, including menus and table settings, which offer a visceral connection to that time.
- One Dine at One World Observatory: While not the same restaurant, the dining room at the new One World Trade Center offers a modern take on the "view-centric" dining experience, though it feels much more contemporary and less "Old World" than the original.
Understanding the Prices of 2001
To give you an idea of the cost, a three-course prix fixe dinner in the main room was roughly $70 to $85 per person in early 2001. Adjusted for inflation in 2026, that’s about $130 to $150. High? Yes. But for a world-class view in Manhattan? It was actually a decent deal compared to what you’d pay at a place like Per Se or Le Bernardin today.
Actionable Next Steps
If you are interested in the culinary history of this period or want to pay homage to the era, here is what you can actually do:
- Read the Book: Pick up The Restaurant at the End of the World by William Grimes. It gives a fantastic, unsentimental look at what it was like to eat and work there.
- Cook a Signature Dish: Look up Michael Lomonaco’s recipes for wild mushroom risotto or his classic steak preparations. Many are available in his cookbooks like The 21 Club Cookbook or through archive food columns.
- Visit the Memorial: Go to the 9/11 Museum to see the physical menus. Seeing the actual paper "windows on the world menu 2001" is a powerful reminder of how normal that Tuesday morning started for the staff.
- Support Windows of Hope: While the original fund has evolved, supporting hospitality-focused charities like the James Beard Foundation’s relief funds carries on the spirit of taking care of restaurant workers.
The menu from 2001 serves as a time capsule. It reminds us of a moment when the world felt both smaller and more expansive—all from a table at the top of the sky.