Fast food is often associated with cheap, greasy, or processed meals. But Austin Cornell believes that convenience doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality—or your health. That’s why he co-founded Tallow in Millerton, a counter-service restaurant that dishes up burgers, fries, sandwiches, and other fast-food cravings made from locally sourced, nutrient-dense foods cooked in a way that doesn’t negatively impact health.

“We’re a healthy fast-food restaurant, sourcing food from local regenerative farms and making everything else in-house, except ketchup,” Cornell explains of Tallow, which opened April 29. “Real food is the key to metabolic health, and we want to make casual meals that not only taste amazing but allow you to feel good after eating it.”

As the name implies, instead of frying foods in conventional cooking oils, chef and co-founder Nate Long uses tallow—rendered animal fat—produced in-house. “There are so many benefits to using tallow, especially in taste; it gives a really rich flavor,” Cornell says. “Plus, it’s high in vitamins A, K, and E, which stay intact through the cooking process because tallow remains stable at high frying temperatures.”

Cornell’s health-conscious mission is driven by his personal experiences and former health struggles, having grown up regularly eating ultra-processed foods and living with obesity and low energy through adolescence. “I tried every fad diet in the book, but I couldn’t lose weight and nothing worked until I started to eat real food with high nutrients,” he says. “I lost 60 pounds and my metabolism skyrocketed.”

Although this is Cornell’s first restaurant, his chef, Nate Long, has 12 years’ experience in the industry, including at the Inn at Little Washington, a Michelin three-star restaurant in Virginia where he learned the ins and outs of fine dining under acclaimed chef Patrick O’Connell. Cornell, who grew up in Albany but spent most of the last decade in New York City, moved to Millerton last summer with his husband and fell in love with the community, which he saw as the ideal location for a business like Tallow. “Millerton was the perfect place to start our journey, both because we felt we could cater to people of all backgrounds with casual food done in a healthy way that also tastes amazing,” Cornell explains. “But also, there was no drive-through restaurant around, so we thought it was the right place for this type of convenience.”

Leaning into the fast food angle, Tallow is housed in a refurbished former Burger King, reimagined by Cornell, who worked with Allee Architecture and Design in Millerton and other local firms to bring his vision to life. Work started late February and finished by the end of April, days before opening. The restaurant features an elevated-rustic approach to its dining room: dark red vinyl booths, locally procured walnut tables, and a cozy working fireplace in the center of the room. Guests order at the counter and food is brought to tables. A drive-through will be available soon.

“In the first week, we really felt the love and support from the Millerton community. I’m so grateful,” Cornell says. Although only open a short time, he says their most popular item is the smashburger, a grass-fed beef patty with local cheese, house pickle, onion, and tallow sauce on a potato bun (price), followed by The Bird, a tallow-fried pasture-raised chicken sandwich with pastured egg, house pickles, raw local cheese, red cabbage, and house remoulade ($18). The Melt has also been a hit: a grass-fed short rib and brisket sandwich with local cheese, Marty’s organic sourdough, and garlic aioli ($15). Each comes with a side of tallow fries. Seasonal fruit sides, smoothies, and kid-friendly portions are available.

Ingredients are sourced locally from Fat Apple Farms, an ethical livestock farm in Pine Plains where Cornell and Long obtain whole cows to butcher in-house, as well as Kinderhook Farm and Howling Flats for grass-fed beef, Chaseholm Farm and Ronnybrook Farm for dairy, Wild Hive for flour, and more.

Tallow also carries natural health products in a small onsite market. “We source and sell tallow-based items because it’s also so great for skin—I use caffeinated tallow on my face, bar soaps to shower. It’s very versatile,” Cornell explains. You’ll also find everyday products made with sustainable ingredients, like herbal-extract soaps and boar bristle toothbrushes, but also a selection of books that inspired the vision for Tallow.

“My number one inspiration was a book called The Big Fat Surprise, written by Nina Teicholz, a journalist and pioneer in the real food movement since 2003—she’s written in depth about the benefits of dietary fats in books and magazines,” he says. “We set our focus on using ingredients that are metabolically healthy, but also, we want to make the best tasting smashburger you’ve ever had. Nate is an incredibly talented chef; I knew the food would be healthier, but I didn’t realize it would be so amazing in taste. His skills gave us that one-two punch of offering mission- and flavor-focused food.”

Tallow is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11am until 8pm.