I Regret Almost Everything

The entertaining, irreverent, and surprisingly moving memoir by the visionary restaurateur behind such iconic New York institutions as Balthazar and Pastis. A memoir by the legendary proprietor of Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi, taking us from his gritty London childhood in the fifties to his serendipitous arrival in New York, where he founded the era-defining establishments the Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg, and Nell's. Eloquent and opinionated, Keith McNally writes about the angst of being a child actor, his lack of insights from traveling overland to Kathmandu at nineteen, the instability of his two marriages and family relationships, his devastating stroke, and his Instagram notoriety.

The entertaining, irreverent, and surprisingly moving memoir by the visionary restaurateur behind such iconic New York institutions as Balthazar and Pastis. A memoir by the legendary proprietor of Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi, taking us from his gritty London childhood in the fifties to his serendipitous arrival in New York, where he founded the era-defining establishments the Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg, and Nell's. Eloquent and opinionated, Keith McNally writes about the angst of being a child actor, his lack of insights from traveling overland to Kathmandu at nineteen, the instability of his two marriages and family relationships, his devastating stroke, and his Instagram notoriety.

The entertaining, irreverent, and surprisingly moving memoir by the visionary restaurateur behind such iconic New Yorkinstitutionsas Balthazar and Pastis. A memoir by the legendary proprietor of Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi, taking us from his gritty London childhood to his serendipitous arrival in New York, where he founded the era-defining establishments Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg, and Nell's. Eloquent and opinionated, Keith McNally writes about his stint as a child actor, his travels along the hippie trail, his wives and children, his devastating stroke, and his Instagram notoriety.

The entertaining, irreverent, and surprisingly moving memoir by the visionary restaurateur behind such iconic New Yorkinstitutionsas Balthazar and Pastis. A memoir by the legendary proprietor of Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi, taking us from his gritty London childhood to his serendipitous arrival in New York, where he founded the era-defining establishments Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg, and Nell's. Eloquent and opinionated, Keith McNally writes about his stint as a child actor, his travels along the hippie trail, his wives and children, his devastating stroke, and his Instagram notoriety.

'Jaw-dropping' Times and Sunday Times Books of the Year 2025 'Intensely readable' FT 'A magical, tender, revealing, rude, honest, very funny and very vulnerable book . . . will be read and talked about for a long time' BILL BUFORD 'Engrossing, fearless and ultimately very moving' JAY McINERNEY 'Moving and poignant' ANNA WINTOUR The entertaining, irreverent, and surprisingly moving memoir by the visionary restaurateur behind such iconic New York institutions as Balthazar and Pastis. A memoir by the legendary proprietor of Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi, taking us from his gritty London childhood to his serendipitous arrival in New York, where he founded the era-defining establishments Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg, and Nell’s. Eloquent and opinionated, Keith McNally writes about his stint as a child actor, his travels along the hippie trail, his wives and children, his devastating stroke, and his Instagram notoriety. 'An incredible life, recounted with wit, humility and a surprising amount of vulnerability' PADMA LAKSHMI 'In this heartfelt memoir, he does his best to atone for his misdeeds while recounting remarkable tales of romance, adventure and survival’ GRIFFIN DUNNE

'Jaw-dropping' Times and Sunday Times Books of the Year 2025 'Intensely readable' FT 'A magical, tender, revealing, rude, honest, very funny and very vulnerable book . . . will be read and talked about for a long time' BILL BUFORD 'Engrossing, fearless and ultimately very moving' JAY McINERNEY 'Moving and poignant' ANNA WINTOUR The entertaining, irreverent, and surprisingly moving memoir by the visionary restaurateur behind such iconic New Yorkinstitutionsas Balthazar and Pastis. A memoir by the legendary proprietor of Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi, taking us from his gritty London childhood to his serendipitous arrival in New York, where he founded the era-defining establishments Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg, and Nell’s. Eloquent and opinionated, Keith McNally writes about his stint as a child actor, his travels along the hippie trail, his wives and children, his devastating stroke, and his Instagram notoriety. 'An incredible life, recounted with wit, humility and a surprising amount of vulnerability' PADMA LAKSHMI 'In this heartfelt memoir, he does his best to atone for his misdeeds while recounting remarkable tales of romance, adventure and survival’ GRIFFIN DUNNE