Ward 9 Bartender Madi Cheslock with the High West JamFest.

Ward 9
974 State Street
New Haven, CT

Opened in 2021 by husband-and-wife team Carmela Buono and Dennis Beaulieu, Ward 9 restaurant and bar celebrates the eclectic and artsy East Rock neighborhood it is named in honor of while offering a nod to its past. The venue is situated in the same space as the former J.P. Dempsey’s, a celebrated East Rock institution for almost two decades. Buono and Beaulieu, who call East Rock home, had purchased the Irish pub in 2018 and ran it for a couple of years. When the pandemic forced them to close their doors, they decided to rebrand and revamp. New artwork, flooring and lighting is accented by long, sleek dark blue booths and the venue now boasts a patio out front. The restaurant serves popular pub fare choices, with dishes created from fresh and locally sourced ingredients. To drink, Ward 9 offers wines by the glass, local craft beers and creative, seasonal cocktails, all to be enjoyed within its buzzing interior or from the outdoor seating area overlooking State Street. A hot pink neon sign lets you know “This must be the place.”

Bartender: Madi Cheslock

Cocktail: High West JamFest

Ingredients:
» 2 oz. High West Bourbon
» .25 oz. housemade rosemary simple syrup
» 3 muddled raspberries
» Bar spoon of raspberry jam
» Garnish: rosemary sprig and raspberries

Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker. Shake and pour over an ice sphere. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and raspberries.

The High West JamFest cocktail at Ward 9.

The High West JamFest was created by Bartenders Madi Cheslock and Luis Torres as part of Ward 9’s new fall menu of drink offerings. “To celebrate the change of seasons, High West JamFest was created to merge the fresh flavors of raspberries with the richness of High West’s bourbon, which is aged in American Oak barrels,” Cheslock said. “Our housemade rosemary simple syrup and local raspberry jam adds the perfect fall touch.”