Adventures in Cazenovia: Rosie's Tuscarora Inn Tap Room

On my second day in Cazenovia, we were taken by Jenny’s parents on a driving tour of the area. Mostly we drove around on numerous back roads and were told anecdotal tales about Jenny’s dad’s childhood. We did drive by Cazenovia Falls, which was pretty cool. Here, check it out.

We eventually made our way to a tiny lakeside bar by Tuscarora Lake called Rosie’s Tuscarora Inn Tap Room so we could grab a beer before dinner. The building itself seemed too small on the inside; I knew I was immediately being sized up by the locals to see if I was going to be trouble. We sat at the bar and Jenny’s dad ordered us each a Labatt’s Blue and slapped down a mere 6 dollars for the four beers. The beer was fresh and cold, and as good as Labatt’s can be. The locals cozied up to the bar were all in their 40’s and 50’s and were engaged in a lively debate about why their dogs had various skin disorders. I haven’t felt so uncomfortably out of place in a long time.

The bar itself was pretty well stocked, albeit with some very peculiar choices such as root beer schnapps. There was a big jar of grayish segments of Polish sausages floating in a thin, ochre brine on the counter next to us and a slew of posters advertising tractor pulls in various small upstate towns. As the depressing country music droned out of the tinny speakers I excused myself to the bathroom which was about the size of a broom closet and housed under the staircase. The wood-paneled walls were absolutely covered with decades old graffiti, the most fitting of which exclaimed “Vito was here ’77, ’78, ’79, ’80, ’81, ’83, ’84…” and so forth all the way up to ’07. It was both funny and very sad at the same time.

I made it back to the bar, and we were leaving within five minutes. I didn’t take any pictures inside the bar because I’m pretty sure I’d have been lynched by a drunken mob of gap-toothed yokels. My relief upon leaving was tangible; I knew I wouldn’t be returning to this bar again.

Wherever you are Vito, you’ll always have a seat at the bar here at Rosie’s… but you probably knew that.