Shops at Prudential Center

Top shopping and dining destination in Boston's Back Bay

For a Boston shopping mall experience at its finest, you will want to visit The Shops at Prudential Center. 

This glitzy shopping area occupies the floor just above street level in Boston's second tallest building, Prudential Tower, located near Copley Square in Back Bay. 

You can enter The Shops at Prudential Center (or, as we say locally, Pru Center) from either Huntington Ave on the south, or Boylston Street, packed with its own numerous stores and boutiques, to the north. 

In addition to The Shops, you'll also find restaurants, outdoor plazas, and walkways connecting to the Sheraton Boston Hotel and Hynes Convention Center.

The complex also has its own T station (Green Line E/Prudential) on the Huntington Ave side. 

To get to most of the stores and shops, you take an elevator up one flight above street level.

Or, if you're anticipating a meal at one of Pru Center's wonderful restaurants and want to work off calories in advance, you can walk up the stairs.

If you somehow can't find what you need at Pru Center, or get addicted to the convenience of downtown shopping malls, you can walk through a glass-enclosed skywalk to nearby Copley Place.

And just a block away on the outside, you'll find fabulous Newbury Street shopping. 

The Shops at Pru Center - What's Here

Prudential Center claims two excellent anchors: Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor.  Both are well-stocked and cater to downtown shoppers - so you can find terrific selections of business wear, stylish leisure wear, and all the accessories you could possibly want.

In addition, 75 other stores, boutiques, and restaurants, plus a very good food court, fill out the offerings.  There's even a supermarket on the street level, popular with nearby residents as well as local office workers who shop here after work. 

If you love shopping for books, you'll find the largest Barnes & Noble bookstore in the city here. 

Talbot's, a large Ann Taylor, 344, Lacoste, J.Jill, Lululemon Athletica, Mango, Vineyard Vines, and Sephora are just a few of the other great shopping destinations that you'll find in this convenient city mall.

Prudential Center is also an excellent place to shop for gifts or toys for yourself - you'll find a great GameStop, L'Occitane, Swarovski, and for all your business friends, a Franklin Covey store.

Another reason why I love shopping at Pru Center is - well, to be more accurate, several dozen more reasons - are the carts and kiosks. 

Although you'll see these in lots of malls, the ones in Pru Center offer especially nice merchandise. 

Each typically specializes in just one thing - artisan-crafted jewelry, gorgeous Russian art collectibles, Cross pens, exquisite hair things (so glad I have daughters!), original artwork, minerals and crystals - plus so many more that you should come see for yourself. 

During the pre-holiday season, a lot of Boston and New England artisans who have stands at SoWa Open Market during the summer set up special carts here on the weekends, starting in early November and ending right before Christmas.  Their unique handcrafted items, plus the bounty of the surrounding stores and streets, makes this one of my favorite spots for the best one-stop holiday shopping in Boston.

Pru Center Dining Options

You'll find some great dining choices at Pru Center. 

In addition to the unusually good food court, you'll find some top-notch restaurants: Sel de la Terre, L'Espalier, Legal Seafood, Wagamama, Cheesecake Factory, Daily Grill, and Haru, to name just a few.

At the very top of the Pru is one of Boston's most famous destination dining spots, the aptly named Top of the Hub.  Located on the 52nd floor, with a spectacular panoramic skyline views of the whole city, this is Boston's premier restaurant for romantic proposals, anniversaries, and celebrations.  The food is also fabulous.

If you're not hungry enough for an entire meal but want to experience the sweeping views from the Top of the Hub (or, you've done enough shopping for the day and need a reward), an alternative to consider is just going to the adjacent lounge or bar and ordering a drink and perhaps an appetizer.  Sit, relax, sip, and enjoy!

What Else is at Pru Center?

The Prudential Center Skywalk Observatory, on the 50th, floor, features 360 degree views of the city.  An audio tour that details many of the city's cultural and historic points is available. 

Tickets can be purchased in the skylight arcade on the main floor of the shopping mall, and then a special elevator takes you up to the Observatory.

Back to the glass arcade on the shopping mall level.  You'll see a beautiful park called "South Garden" across from Starbucks. 

If the weather's good, walk out and find a place to sit in the sun.  When the weather's less cooperative, you'll find comfortable seating in the chairs and benches along the glass wall. 

Prudential Center is also the starting point for many of the city's most popular tours.  You can buy tickets here for Beantown Trolley, Boston Duck Tours, and Old Town Trolley Tours and board the tour vehicle of your choice down at street level.

Underneath Pru Center is New England's largest parking lot - 3,800 spaces. 

Details and Directions

Location:  800 Boylston Street, Back Bay, Boston, MA
More information:  617-236-3100; website 
Parking: Fee-based underground parking garage