The Sexton Pub Brings Irish Charm to the Starland District

By Vanessa Lantos Daly (Spicy Melon)

Oct. 30, 2025 – While there’s no shortage of beloved watering holes in the Starland District, this one stands out.

The Sexton Pub & Provisions officially opened this past Oct. 10, and it is located at 9 West 43rd St. It has just been a couple of weeks, but the place has been buzzing with locals and visitors alike.

Main Facade of The Sexton Pub with Joshua Sexton (owner) Joseph Berkesch (General Manager) and their Chef Jordan Love. Photo Credit Grungeshots Productions

I met with Joshua Sexton, the owner, and Joseph Berkesch, the general manager, for a friendly chat.

Joshua co-owns The Sexton Pub with his brother, Michael Sexton. “I couldn’t have done this without my brother. He was such an integral part of helping with the system technicalities we didn’t understand. He worked for OpenTable, and he has a degree and background in hospitality.”

Joshua also mentions the incredible help of his family during the opening, giving special credit to his sister.

The Sexton Pub is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until midnight, and until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. A lot of us service industry peeps have been making The Sexton our after-work stop, giving them a steady late-night pop every night.

Word gets around fast in the service industry, especially when there’s a menu offering a pint of their house lager and a shot of Sullivan for $7.

Currently, their kitchen is open until 11 p.m. on weekdays and until midnight on weekends.

Joseph shares, “The main reason we wanted to do food so late is because the spots where we enjoy hanging out the most are industry bars. We want to cater to the bartenders who get off at midnight, to the servers, to everyone who finishes work late when everything else is closed. We’re by industry people, for industry people. We also obviously cater to locals who want to stay in their own neighborhood and have a late-night drink or bite.”

Another win for the late-night food scene in Savannah, and I happily see this scene growing and growing.

The Sexton Pub is conveniently close to Victory North, making it the perfect spot before or after events and concerts. The reasonably priced, high-quality drinks and Irish street fare make it one of a kind.

This building used to house Troupial Cafe, locally famous for their decadent Venezuelan pastries. If you’re wondering, they didn’t go away; they just moved to 817 East 70th St.

The building remains a cheerful yellow on the outside. Inside, deep greens and rich wooden finishes draw you in with a luxurious, cozy vibe. The upstairs space is elegant and intimate, perfect for a private meeting or date night. There’s also a spacious outdoor backyard area.

I asked Joshua how he knew this was the right spot. “I’d been scouting locations for almost two years, looking for the perfect fit for our concept,” he says. “This is our first restaurant, so it had to be within budget, and I’ve really been in love with this neighborhood for a while.”

A match meant to be. “A couple of other places we liked fell through, but when this came up for lease, I jumped on it immediately. Like, 15 minutes after it was posted. Drove down the next day, looked at it, and I knew it was perfect. It’s an old house from the 1930s, and that lends itself perfectly to an authentic Irish pub.”

Joshua shares that he could see the vision the moment he walked in. He also tells me that he, his GM, and his chef are all transplants from Atlanta. They moved themselves and their families here for this opening. “I’ve been coming to Savannah for years because I love this city, and it’s always a great place to spend a weekend. I moved my family here about six months ago, so we’re newer residents.”

Savannah has clearly worked its magic on the newcomers. Joseph, who has lived all over the country, chimes in, “So far, this is the best move I’ve ever made. I’m originally from Atlanta, but I’ve lived in places like L.A. and Colorado. Every time I moved, I wanted to go back to Atlanta. This is the first time I feel like I’m here to stay.”

For an Irish pub, beyond the mandatory perfect pint of Guinness, I’m most intrigued by the food. Joshua shares, “The original concept was Irish street food. We have a lot of traditional Irish specialties on the menu: Fish and chips, bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie. But we also do spice bags, sausage rolls, and pasties, which are puff pastries filled with lamb, peas, and carrots.”

Chef Jordan Love. Photo Credit Grungeshots Productions

Something unique about their menu is the three different lamb burgers offered. But spice bag stands out. What exactly is an Irish spice bag?

Joshua brightens up. “Spice bag is what really inspired me to start this menu. It’s the second most popular dish in Ireland right now, behind Guinness beef stew. It started in really crappy Chinese food places in Ireland. It’s fried chicken, French fries, and sautéed vegetables tossed in a bag with a Chinese curry five-spice mix and served with a side of curry sauce. It’s a late-night, super popular meal — the kind you get after visiting the pubs. I’ve never seen a spice bag in the U.S., so we got the spices from Ireland specifically to make it authentic. After testing it, we came up with our own mix. It came out really good; we get nothing but praise for the spice bag.”

Spice Bag. Photo Credit Grungeshots Productions

They also proudly offer a wide selection of Irish whiskeys, with extremely reasonable prices: from $3 for O’Driscolls to $19 for a pour of Redbreast 12-year.

In their first week, they sold out of Guinness and Murphy’s pints. For anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure, Murphy’s is a bit sweeter and creamier than classic Guinness Stout. So delicious…

The most popular items so far include The Spice Bag, of course, with its fried chicken, wedges, and curried vegetables. Other favorites include the Guinness stew and the shepherd’s pie. Joshua shares, “Our chef Jordan Love has been spectacular. I worked with him years ago in Atlanta. He’s also cooked in restaurants in Utah and Alabama. I called him because I knew the quality of his work. Everyone moved to Savannah with me to make this dream a reality.”

Something unexpected here is the quality of their cocktail program. I say unexpected because I was fully expecting pints and Irish fare, but Joshua has high-end mixology experience. “I come from a pretty solid cocktail background, and I wanted to bring an elevated cocktail experience while keeping it approachable, since we’re still an Irish pub — a laid-back place to hang out and relax.”

I glance at the list and I’m instantly taken aback. The cocktails are inventive takes on classics, like Three Steps, their take on a Negroni, and The Plagiarist, their version of a Manhattan.

Not only that, but all cocktails are $12. Please, let me immediately run and ditch all those $20 cocktails downtown with comparable complexity and craft.

Their prices show they cater to locals. All their juice is fresh-squeezed in-house, and they craft their own syrups and shrubs. Both Joshua and Joseph express admiration for Lone Wolf Lounge and their cocktail program, so the high standard is already there.

Joshua is especially proud of Escape the Maze, a take on an Old Fashioned featuring peated Irish whiskey and a house-made plum turbinado syrup.

Speaking my love language all the way…

Joshua jumps behind the bar, instantly inspired, and crafts me a sweet cocktail with gin, bright citrus, and perfect balance.

“Ummm… excuse me sir, I still have to go to work today,” I think, as the fruity fuzzies hit me… I might need a 30-minute power nap before work. When did I become such a lightweight? I’d totally stay and have another one…

I glance up at the shelves and ceiling behind the bar and notice the walking canes adorning the light fixtures.

Symbolic walking canes and light fixtures.

Interesting decor… I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

Joshua follows my gaze and shares, “Those canes belonged to my grandfather before he passed away. They were gifted to me, and I wanted to make sure to integrate them as part of the pub. We wanted every element we displayed to have a story and meaning behind it.”

Some artwork created by Joshua’s wife also adorns the walls. He shows me a portrait of his grandfather hanging above a focal mantelpiece, visible as soon as you enter.

“That’s a portrait of my grandfather standing at his dad’s bar. We’re keeping the tradition of family pubs going.” He tells me the story of their opening day, when his dad came to the bar and saw the canes and the portrait — it was pure waterworks. A tight-knit and loving family all around.

Joshua’s Grandfather’s portrait greets guests who arrive at The Sexton Pub.

Before I get too emotional, I finally ask Joshua and Joseph what they’d like to say to the Savannah community. Joseph reflects, “I’m really thankful to be part of this neighborhood, particularly the Starland District. Like Josh said, everyone has been really helpful and supportive. We’ve been here 7 a.m. to midnight for nearly five months trying to get everything done, and the number of people who just dropped by to offer assistance is unbelievable. People here actually care. They’re kind, generous, and supportive. That doesn’t happen in Atlanta, I mean, there’s no way. When people here say they want to help, they mean it. Thank you, Savannah, for having us.”

To anyone craving some comfort Irish food and quality sips, try this new neighborhood pub.

Who knew Atlanta peeps could be such sweet darlings? Go meet them and have a pint for me. Cheers!

Love always,

Vanessa

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