Not-cho Typical Nachos at Meier’s Creek Brewing Co. in Cazenovia (Dining Out Review)

Cazenovia, N.Y. — “Wok and roll nachos.”

The menu at Meier’s Creek Brewing Co. in Cazenovia whispered these words to me, demanding my attention and a place on our dinner order.

We were deep into our 45-minute wait at the bar, so maybe my hungry brain was playing tricks on me. It wasn’t the alcohol, as the woefully understaffed bar couldn’t keep up with its seated customers while prepping drinks for diners and the walk-up line.

Either way, the nachos ($20) were the right call. A mound of bronze-hued, deep-fried chips made from wonton wrappers were topped with queso, pico de gallo, jalapeno slices, smoked brisket and a Thai-chili crema that pulled it all together. Big hunks of brisket could have been sliced thinner or shredded, but we forgave the kitchen since the meat was juicy and tender; sometimes the brisket used on nachos is lifeless from overcooking or too fatty. The cream sauce offered a balance of mild, sweet chili heat and a cool cream to compensate for a heavy-handed use of jalapeño slices.

Were they worth $20? That’s tougher to say, but I wouldn’t hesitate to order them again on a future visit.

Our recent Saturday night stop wasn’t the first time at the brewery’s flagship Cazenovia location. Since our review in fall 2020, we’ve been on multiple occasions and watched the menu evolve. The latest version incorporates Asian flavors; in addition to the nachos, you’ll find housemade pickles with sambal oelek chilis, an orange chicken sandwich, and starters with tempura shrimp and kimchi incorporated.

Dining at Meier’s Creek during the warmer months is a tale of two experiences. Guest desiring an outdoor table looking out over the bucolic field between the brewery and the eponymous creek can find a table, but are relegated to a walk-up line at the bar to order drinks and food. Grabbing a table inside means table service but a likely wait to be seated. We opted for the latter as the walk-up line was nearly 25 to 30 people deep when we arrived. It nearly took the entire 45 minutes of our wait to dissipate.

Wood-fired pizza has been one of the restaurant’s signatures since its first day. The housemade dough of our pickle pizza ($22) was springy and chewy. A base of garlic-herb soft cheese — maybe Boursin — held the house pickles, dill, fresh mozzarella and a drizzle of ranch dressing. The cheese combination was very creamy and almost too rich for a pizza without a sturdy crust. It could have stood a few minutes in the oven to develop some char, but the high-heat cooking had already sapped the pickles of the acidity and flavor you hoped they would bring to the pie.

Four sandwiches, three salads and four entrees — five, if you count the Friday-only fish fry — populate the remainder of the menu. The baked gouda mac and cheese was right-sized for its price ($15), in that it was filling without being overwhelming. A steel serving bowl of cavatappi pasta baked in a gouda cheese sauce that had a hint of maple sweetness, was topped with breadcrumbs made from the restaurant’s jalapeno cornbread. It was fine; there was nothing wrong with it but it wasn’t particularly exciting. When you put it up against the burgers with their miles-long list of toppings, or even the other entrees, this seemed rather plain and uneventful. I got exactly what I ordered — a $15 bowl of mac and cheese.

The brisket melt ($21) was a nice departure from the typical burger. House-smoked brisket was sliced and served on jalapeno cornbread with sambal oelek pickles, gouda cheese and dijon mustard. The brisket was flavorful, complemented by the vinegar and spice of the pickles and mustard. A side of coated fries was the only real drawback to the order.

Meier’s Creek is also one of the largest brewers in Central New York with tanks and aluminum cans visible through the plate glass windows behind the bar. Ten different styles of beer and one hard seltzer made in-house were on tap during our visit. Serial Killer (kellerbier) and Giant Ferris Wheel (Vienna lager) were two new-to-me selections, each with lower alcohol contents and full of malty sweetness. Mo Honey Mo Kolsch, a kolsch-style ale made with honey from the brewery’s apiary, is a lighter, fairly-clean drinking beer with a hint of complexity from the honey.

Full of food and beer, we skipped dessert. Had there been room, we would have likely ordered Shirley Temple floats from the mocktail menu, which combined vanilla ice cream and the housemade Shirley Temple soda.

There is plenty to like about Meier’s Creek Cazenovia location, from the relaxing views from the back patio to a wide selection of beers to please nearly everyone. And, it’s a family-friendly space with an approachable menu. Tightening up some loose threads in both the front and back of the house would only go to elevate the experience.

The Details

The Restaurant: Meier’s Creek Brewing Co., 33 Rippleton Road (NYS Route 13), Cazenovia, NY 13035; (315) 815-4022.

Takeout/Delivery? Orders can be placed online.

Reservations? Not accepted.

Credit cards? Yes, with a 4% surcharge.

Noise level: It gets loud when it’s crowded, as it was during our visit.

Access to the disabled: The dining room is at ground level and the bathrooms are spacious.

Parking: There is plenty of parking, though there is a bit of a walk to the front doors from the far reaches of the private lot.

Alcoholic Beverages: Full bar.

Special diets? Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes are labeled. Dairy-free dieters shouldn’t have a hard time navigating the menu.

Children’s menu? Not that we noticed.

Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday.

Cost: Dinner for two with beverages, starters, entrees, tax, 4% credit card surcharge and 20% gratuity was $115.25.

****

Jared Paventi is a restaurant critic for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, or BlueSky. Sign up for our free weekly Where Syracuse Eats newsletter here.