Tacos al pastor: what they are, origin and how they're made

What is it?

Tacos al pastor are the undisputed kings of the Mexico City taquería: thin slices of pork marinated in a paste of red chillies, achiote, vinegar and spices, skewered on a vertical trompo (spit) that turns before a flame and roasts slowly. The taquero cuts the meat with a long knife, usually with a movement that lets the slices fall directly onto two small maize tortillas, and completes the taco with white onion, fresh coriander, green or red salsa, a squeeze of lime juice and the iconic touch: a small cube of ripe pineapple that the taquero flicks off the top of the trompo with a turn of the wrist. They are the quintessential street food of Mexico City, eaten both on leaving the bars in the early hours and at legendary taquerías in the centre and in neighbourhoods such as Tacubaya, Coyoacán and the Roma. Their combination of deep marinade, meat crisp outside and juicy inside, together with the freshness of the pineapple and herbs, has made them part of the intangible heritage of Mexico City.

Origin and history

The origin of tacos al pastor lies in Lebanese immigration to Mexico in the early 20th century, particularly in Puebla and Mexico City. The Lebanese immigrants, who arrived mainly between 1900 and 1930 fleeing the Ottoman Empire, brought with them the shawarma: lamb marinated and roasted on a vertical skewer. The first Mexican versions kept the lamb and the Arab bread, giving rise to the tacos árabes of Puebla, the direct predecessors of pastor. The transformation into the version we know today is attributed to several Mexico City establishments during the 1960s and 1970s: the Galindo family, owners of the taquería El Tizoncito in the Condesa neighbourhood, claim to have been the first to use pork, replace the Arab bread with maize tortilla and add the pineapple around 1966. Other historians such as Cristina Barros and Marco Buenrostro attribute the transition to several cooks simultaneously. The name pastor (shepherd) alludes to the origin of the shawarma, which in the Middle East was associated with nomadic shepherds, though it also plays on the idea of pork as the food of the Christian shepherd. Today tacos al pastor are a cultural icon of Mexico, comparable in international visibility to the traditional taco or guacamole.

Characteristic ingredients

The pastor marinade is what defines the flavour: a mixture of guajillo and ancho chillies, soaked and blended with achiote (a reddish seed that provides colour and earthy notes), white vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, clove, pepper and, depending on the taquero, pineapple juice and proprietary spices. The traditional meat is pork shoulder or leg, cut into very thin fillets of about five millimetres, marinated for at least twelve hours. They are skewered on the trompo interspersed with pork fat and, at the top, a whole pineapple is fixed so that its juices drip over the meat during roasting. The trompo turns over a side flame, usually gas, though some traditional taqueros keep charcoal or wood-fired spits. The tortillas are small, about ten centimetres, generally blue maize or white, briefly warmed on the comal. The most typical salsa is green, made with roasted tomatillo, serrano chilli, garlic and avocado or coriander; the red one is made with chile de árbol or cascabel. Some variants include the taco gringa, in a quesadilla with two wheat tortillas, or the taco campechano, which mixes pastor with steak.

Cultural significance

Tacos al pastor are part of the intangible gastronomic heritage of Mexico City and an emblem of the Mexican-Lebanese culinary fusion. The trompo turning before a flame, with the taquero slicing off the meat and catching pineapple in mid-air, is an iconic image of Mexico City street cooking, portrayed in film, photography and international food features. Legendary establishments such as El Tizoncito, El Huequito, Los Cocuyos, El Vilsito and El Califa have turned pastor into art and heritage. Traditional Mexican Cuisine, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, includes these antojitos as part of the national repertoire. In 2022, the magazine TasteAtlas placed tacos al pastor in first position among the best dishes in the world, marking a milestone of international recognition. Economically, the pastor taquerías sustain one of the most vibrant street economies in Mexico, with thousands of stalls in Mexico City alone. Each April, Mexico celebrates Taco Day, where pastor reigns as the undisputed icon.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between tacos al pastor and tacos árabes?

Tacos árabes are the direct ancestor: they use lamb or pork in Arab bread without a red-chilli marinade, keeping the original Lebanese tradition. Tacos al pastor use pork marinated in a guajillo and ancho chilli paste with achiote, are served in a small maize tortilla, and carry pineapple on top of the trompo. Pastor is the fully Mexicanised version of the shawarma.

What do tacos al pastor taste like?

The pork provides a deep, juicy flavour, with the crust lightly caramelised by the charred fat of the trompo. The guajillo and ancho chilli marinade gives fruity and smoky notes, the achiote provides earthy tones, and the vinegar and spices add complexity. The ripe pineapple cuts the fat with sweetness and acidity, while the onion, coriander and lime refresh.

How are tacos al pastor served?

They are served on two small warm maize tortillas, with slices of meat freshly cut from the trompo, topped with chopped white onion and coriander, a cube of pineapple, green or red salsa to taste, and a touch of lime. They are eaten with the hand, in one or two bites, usually accompanied by beer, hibiscus water or a simple consommé. Mexico City cantinas sell them in orders of three or five tacos.

Where do tacos al pastor come from?

They originate from the culinary fusion between Lebanese immigrants and Mexican cooking in the first half of the 20th century. The current version with marinated pork, maize tortilla and pineapple took shape in Mexico City during the 1960s and 70s, with the taquería El Tizoncito in the Condesa neighbourhood claiming to have been the first. Today they are a national emblem and an international reference point of contemporary Mexican cuisine.