Noel O'Malley, owner of Irish gastropub Biddy O'Malley's, dies at 55
Irish native Noel O'Malley, who owned acclaimed gastropub Biddy O'Malley's Irish Bistro & Bar in Northvale, died Tuesday morning at age 55.
O'Malley, a Harrington Park resident and father of one, had been battling a rare type of lymphoma for a little over one year. He died at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan from complications brought on by a cancer treatment, said his wife, Eileen O'Malley.
"He had a lot of living left to do," she said.
O'Malley, who worked in logistics in Ireland, was "always fascinated with the U.S," his wife said. When he won a green card lottery in 1994, she said he figured, "why not?" He was 26 years old. He ended up in Bergenfield where he had a good friend. "Believe it or not, New Jersey then had a large Irish population," said Eileen O'Malley, who is American with Irish roots.
When O'Malley couldn't find work in his field, he switched careers and began to work in restaurants.
"He liked it and he was good at it," Eileen said. "He dreamed of opening a place one day."
In 2011, O'Malley took over a half-century-old building on Paris Avenue in Northvale, had its exterior painted bright orange, and called the place Biddy O’Malley’s after his wife's nickname. Eileen is a co-owner.
It got an enviable three-star review in the New York Times: "There is no reason to cross the ocean to experience a superlative Irish gastropub... Just visit Biddy O'Malley's in Northvale," the review began. Five years later, O'Malley opened a second location in Englewood — and received a three-out-of-four star review in The Record.
In March, 2020, due to COVID restrictions, the Englewood location permanently closed. The next year, O'Malley started feeling sick.
"We knew something was wrong," Eileen said. "It took some time to get a diagnosis."
His greatest joy, his wife said, was their daughter, Emma, 13. "He loved being a father to our daughter," she said. "He loved fine dining, he loved to travel, he loved music, but what he loved most was to spend time with her. He'd take her to the flower store and garden with her. He loved gardening too, something he inherited from his mom."
Eileen O'Malley, who co-owns the gastropub, plans to keep the beer flowing, the burgers sizzling, the fish and chips moving for as long as possible.
"I was never involved in the day-to-day operation," she said. "He gets all the credit."
Funeral arrangement have not been made yet. Check the restaurant's social media accounts for information.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Noel O'Malley, Biddy O'Malley's Irish gastropub owner, dies
