Top of the Hub   

The ear-popping elevator ride is worth the effort once you walk into the foyer area of Top of the Hub, located on the 52nd floor of Boston's Prudential Center. The view is as grand as promised and the service is excellent. Fare is also exceptional, with a menu of steak and local seafood, as well as ubiquitous chicken and pasta. The lunch menu is a pretty good deal, with pizzas and sandwiches under $20. If you'd like to splurge, try one of the tempting dinner-tasting menus with optional paired wines. In an attempt to liven up the place, the restaurant now offers live jazz, adding to the cosmopolitan feel of sitting at a bar 50-plus floors above street level. Sunday brunch, too, is an outstanding experience. Top of the Hub has private rooms that can be reserved... or even better, rent out all or part of the Skywalk on the 50th floor for a memorable event.