Dish guides
What are tacos al pastor?
Tacos al pastor are small corn tortillas topped with thin shavings of pork that has been marinated in dried chillies, achiote and spices and roasted on a vertical spit called a trompo. They're finished with a sliver of pineapple, chopped onion, coriander, salsa and lime. They're Mexico City's signature taco, ordered by the piece at taquerías, mostly in the evening.
- At a glance
- Tacos al pastor
- Spit-roasted pork in a chilli and achiote marinade on small corn tortillas, with pineapple.
- Pronunciation
- Say it like TAH-kohs ahl pahs-TOR · IPA /ˈtakos al pasˈtoɾ/
- Also written as
- al pastor, pastor, taco al pastor, tacos de trompo, tacos de adobada, gringa al pastor
What’s in it
Core ingredients
- pork shoulder or leg in thin slices
- marinade of dried chillies (often guajillo), achiote, vinegar, garlic and spices
- small corn tortillas
- pineapple
- white onion
- coriander (cilantro)
- lime
Often added
- red or green salsa
- flour tortilla and cheese (gringa)
- cheese (con queso)
- guacamole or avocado salsa
- salsa macha (chilli oil, sometimes with peanuts or sesame)
Allergens
| Allergen | How likely |
|---|---|
| Gluten | Sometimes contains |
| Dairy | Sometimes contains |
| Peanuts | Rarely contains |
| Sesame | Rarely contains |
| Sulphites | Rarely contains |
| Tree nuts | Rarely contains |
| Shellfish | Rarely contains |
| Fish | Rarely contains |
| Eggs | Rarely contains |
| Soy | Rarely contains |
| Diet | Suitable? |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Pescatarian | No |
| Halal | No |
| Kosher | No |
| Gluten-free | Depends — Corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free and the marinade usually is too, but gringas and northern versions use wheat-flour tortillas. Ask for corn tortillas and check for shared griddles. |
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
What al pastor is
Al pastor means "shepherd-style". The pork, usually shoulder or leg cut into thin sheets, is soaked in a brick-red adobo of dried chillies, achiote (annatto seed paste), vinegar, garlic and spices such as oregano, cumin and clove. The slices are stacked on a vertical spit, the trompo ("spinning top"), often with a whole pineapple on top, and roasted in front of a gas or charcoal flame.
The taquero shaves thin, crisp-edged strips straight onto two small, warm corn tortillas, then flicks a piece of pineapple from the top of the spit onto the taco. Onion, coriander, salsa and a squeeze of lime finish it.
Where it comes from
Al pastor is a Lebanese-Mexican story. Lebanese immigrants brought lamb shawarma and its vertical spit to Mexico in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and in Puebla it became tacos árabes, made with pork and wrapped in a pita-style bread. Later, Mexican cooks swapped the Middle Eastern seasoning for a chilli and achiote adobo, used corn tortillas and added pineapple. Nobody knows exactly when that version, al pastor, took its present form (it's often said to have caught on in the 1960s), but it became the defining taco of Mexico City's late-night taquerías.
How to order it
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ¿Me da tres tacos al pastor con todo, por favor? | Three tacos al pastor with everything (onion, coriander, pineapple), please. |
| ¿Pica la salsa? | Is the salsa spicy? |
| ¿Las tortillas son de maíz? | Are the tortillas made of corn? |
Not to be confused with
- Tacos árabes — Puebla's spit-roasted pork with cumin and lemon in a wheat pita-style bread; no chilli marinade or pineapple.
- Carnitas — Pork slowly cooked in lard until tender, then chopped; no spit and no red marinade.
- Gyros — The Greek cousin: pork sliced from a vertical spit, served in pita with tzatziki.
Frequently asked questions
What is al pastor meat?
Al pastor is pork, usually shoulder or leg, cut into thin slices, marinated in a red paste of dried chillies, achiote and spices, then stacked and roasted on a vertical spit called a trompo. It's shaved to order, so the pieces are crisp at the edges and juicy inside. It's almost never made with lamb, despite the name meaning "shepherd-style".
Are tacos al pastor spicy?
The meat itself is usually mild to medium: the dried chillies in the marinade give colour and a smoky flavour more than heat. The spice comes from the salsas you add at the table, which can be very hot. Ask "¿Pica la salsa?" (Is the salsa spicy?) or taste a small amount first.
Are tacos al pastor gluten free?
Often, when they're served on corn tortillas, which are naturally gluten-free, and the marinade has no wheat-based ingredients. Watch out for gringas and northern versions made with wheat-flour tortillas, and for shared griddles. Ask "¿Las tortillas son de maíz?" (Are the tortillas made of corn?) to check.
How do you pronounce tacos al pastor?
Say TAH-kohs ahl pahs-TOR, with the stress on the last syllable of pastor: in IPA, [ˈtakos al pasˈtoɾ]. The final "r" is a quick tap of the tongue. At a taquería you'll often just hear "de pastor", as in "tres de pastor" (three al pastor tacos).
