If you’d been standing at the corner of McCallie and Highland Park avenues a few years ago, you would’ve seen a vista of overgrown weeds and abandoned industrial buildings – not a gathering of picnic tables and taco enthusiasts. You definitely wouldn’t have spotted a menu offering Bangkok Shrimp or Chicken Tikka Masala tacos – or frozen Cheerwine with booze.
But thanks to the vision and tenacity of Adam Lutz and Nelson Taylor, that same plot is now home to Chattanooga’s newest restaurant: White Duck Taco.
Nestled between Highland Park, Orchard Knob and Ridgedale, White Duck (1519 McCallie Avenue) opened its doors to the public this week after years of planning and building through pandemic setbacks and zoning complications. The result is a bright, inviting space that serves an eclectic menu of fusion tacos, margaritas and community-minded vibes.
A fresh frontier
White Duck Taco’s arrival at the eastern end of McCallie is no accident; it’s a deliberate strategic choice.
“Main Street has experienced a revival,” says Taylor. “Businesses are working their way east, away from the city center. But no one has been doing this on the McCallie side of Highland Park. So, this was an opportunity to be first. The residents of Highland Park can literally walk here.”
Walk they did. On opening day, the parking lot filled during lunch. From there, guests strolled along a central sidewalk that cuts through a newly planted green space. Steel roof trusses from a demolished second building serve as a fence around the lawn, which culminates in over a dozen picnic tables under protective umbrellas, led to the restaurant’s wide facade.
After stepping through the heavy glass and iron doors, customers found themselves in a tall, vast space that wears its industrial roots proudly. The building has housed a rotating cast of enterprises (a carpet manufacturer, a cigarette distributor, a restaurant supply company and more) but never a restaurant – until now.
White Duck’s design blends the old with the new: original brick walls with fading white paint, soaring ceilings with clerestory windows, and creative details like long, diamond-shaped tables that let diners turn toward each other and converse more naturally.
Lutz, who worked with Chattanooga-based architecture firm Tinker Ma, poured that degree of intention into every corner of the restaurant.
“I’m fascinated by architecture and how a space can shape a community, particularly people’s interactions with each other,” he says. “We discovered this building years ago, and the concept grew from there.”
Made to mingle
At the order counter, a colorful, artistically scribed menu stretches overhead, listing a taco lineup that’s anything but traditional. White Duck’s approach to tacos is adventurous – what some local Redditors call “fusion” and others simply dub “delicious.”
Tacos include Steak and Cheese with Mexican crema, Crispy Pork Belly topped with pickled watermelon rind, and Grilled Fish with chipotle crema. Other selections include a Chicken Tikka Masala taco with yogurt sauce, a Lamb Gyro taco with feta and tzatziki, and a spicy Buffalo Chicken with blue cheese sauce. There’s also a Thai Peanut Chicken taco topped with tropical salsa – and for the plant-based crowd, a jackfruit substitute is available on any taco.
Sides include street corn salad, watermelon with fresh mint, and black beans with green chili. There’s a children’s menu, and for everyone else, queso and chips, fresh lime margaritas and frozen Cheerwine (with or without a boozy twist). Local beers and sodas round things out.
First impressions: ‘Super Tasty’
Opening-day diners wasted no time weighing in. On the Chattanooga subreddit (www.reddit.com/r/Chattanooga), the reviews were generally positive.
“The tacos are super tasty and they have an amazing staff who all seemed happy to be there,” wrote one user, eeshmalox. “Everything was reasonably priced and I could see myself making this a regular spot.”
Another user, rsandidge, praised the addition to the neighborhood: “Regardless of what you think about ‘fusion tacos,’ having more restaurants – especially ones with big indoor and outdoor dining spaces – is huge for Highland Park.”
For crafty_giraffe, the location is especially meaningful. “Highland Park is one of the most walkable neighborhoods, but there’s nowhere to walk to,” they wrote. “Maybe this will be a good destination.”
That’s the point, according to Taylor and Lutz. White Duck Taco isn’t just about tacos – it’s about planting a flag and offering a gathering place.
From Asheville with love
White Duck Taco isn’t entirely new to the region. It began in Asheville, North Carolina, where Lutz once lived. He and his family have called Chattanooga home for 15 years now, and this restaurant is his way of bringing a piece of that mountain town to the Scenic City.
“I wanted to bring some of the things I love and miss about Asheville to my hometown, Chattanooga,” he says. “It’s a great, cozy space, and it has plenty of room to spread out. We’re excited to see how we develop the outdoor space over time, but even now, I’m proud of what we’ve created.”
Taylor echoed the sentiment. “This concept and dream have been a long time in the making. We’re excited to be able to finally invite people in.”
Brewery, music and more
While the tacos will always take center stage, Lutz and Taylor say other attractions are coming. For starters, the rear of the restaurant will eventually house a new, locally owned brewery they expect to open later this year. While they haven’t released the name yet, it’s intended to add a touch of Chattanooga to the 10th White Duck Taco location, which joins other outposts in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The owners also have plans to develop the outdoor green area into a bona fide community gathering space. A stage outside for live music, a giant screen for movies and sports and family-friendly events like trivia night are among the possibilities.
The great taco debate
Of course, no taco shop arrives in town without stirring the age-old debate: fusion tacos or street tacos?
Chattanooga’s foodies took to Reddit, with some defending local taquerias known for their authenticity and others embracing White Duck’s mix-and-match approach.
“Just give me tacos. I don’t care if they’re authentic or fusion,” declared one poster, Famous_Strike_6125, who summed up the general consensus: there’s room for both on the menu – and in the city.
Why “White Duck?”
Several diners on opening day expressed curiosity about the name. Perhaps oddly, it has nothing to do with the menu.
The original White Duck Taco in Asheville is named after its head chef, who, as the story goes, used to become so animated in the kitchen that the staff nicknamed her “La Pata Blanca,” or “White Duck.”
And, no, there aren’t any duck tacos in Chattanooga – yet.
As Redditor AnEriksenWife asked, “Do they have duck tacos? I have a family member who loves duck.”
Not at the moment. But a mole roasted duck taco – with apple cranberry salsa, cream and lettuce – is offered at other locations. Fingers crossed it migrates west.
Until then, White Duck Taco offers a big, thoughtful space where tacos – whatever their origin – can bring people together.
White Duck Taco is open daily 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. and offers both street and on-site parking.