Keith McNally


Keith McNally is a New York City restaurateur. The New York Times has referred to him as "The Restaurateur Who Invented Downtown." McNally has been active in the New York City restaurant scene since the 1980s. In that time, he has opened several restaurants. These include Augustine, Balthazar, Cafe Luxembourg, Cherche Midi, Lucky Strike, Minetta Tavern, Morandi, Nell's, Odeon, Pastis, Pravda, and Schiller's.
Frank Bruni awarded three stars to Minetta Tavern in 2009.
McNally was born into a working-class family in Bethnal Green, London. He is the son of Joyce and Jack McNally. His father Jack was an amateur boxer and docker. His brother, Brian McNally, is also a restaurateur in New York. His first wife, Lynn Wagenknecht, was also a restaurateur.
McNally was a member of the original London cast of Alan Bennett's play Forty Years On in 1968 playing the part of Macilwaine. One of his children is actress Isabelle McNally.