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A Restaurateur’s Reckoning: Keith McNally’s Unvarnished Memoir

From the gritty streets of 1950s London to the glittering heights of New York’s café society, Keith McNally’s I Regret Almost Everything delivers an unfiltered look at one of the hospitality world’s true originals. In this New York Times bestseller, McNally traces his path from child actor to the visionary behind icons like Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi—sharing lessons in ambition, resilience, and the occasional misstep that defined his career.

Behind the Tables: Tales of Triumph and Turmoil

  • A London Childhood and the Hippie Trail
    McNally reflects on his formative years in post-war London and a game-changing overland trip to Kathmandu at nineteen, setting the stage for a life driven by curiosity and risk.

  • Building New York’s Café Culture
    From the Odeon to Café Luxembourg, he revolutionized dining with a storyteller’s flair—melding ambiance, people-watching, and impeccable taste into restaurants that became institutions.

  • Love, Loss, and the Business of Betrayal
    He candidly examines two marriages, family tensions, and the business partnerships that soared—and sometimes crashed—under the New York spotlight.

  • Stroke, Survival, and Southpaw Persistence
    After a devastating stroke confined him to a wheelchair and robbed him of speech, McNally relearned life and work with humor and grit. His journey from inpatient to Instagram raconteur offers a masterclass in resilience.

  • A Pushy New Yorker with Diabolical Taste
    In an exclusive interview, McNally recounts a real-estate meeting with Donald Trump, calling him “a caricature of a rich, pushy New Yorker with diabolical taste”—yet acknowledges Trump’s regular patronage at Balthazar since 1997.

“Rueful, self-aware, chatty, entertaining, dazzling, and harrowing: a book that contains multitudes.”
— Kirkus Reviews

Publication Details:

  • Publisher: Gallery Books
  • Publication Date: May 6, 2025
  • Pages: 320
  • ISBN: 9781668017647

Why I Recommend “I Regret Almost Everything”

As an entrepreneur and storyteller, McNally offers more than restaurant lore—he delivers strategic insights on brand-building, partnership pitfalls, and leading through crisis. His raw honesty and seasoned advice make this memoir essential reading for anyone seeking lessons in risk, recovery, and reinvention.

Ready to Read McNally’s Memoir?

👉 Click here to grab your copy on Amazon and join Keith McNally as he unpacks a lifetime of regrets, revelations, and restaurant revolutions.

Elevate your bookshelf—and your business mindset—with this unforgettable tale of ambition, adversity, and absolute authenticity.