Street Tacos al Pastor
TAH-kohs al pas-TOR — 'Al pastor' means 'shepherd style' — a nod to the Lebanese immigrant cooks who adapted spit-roasted shawarma into Mexican street food.
₹220
One of the most-ordered street foods on delivery apps worldwide — built on a Lebanese-Mexican fusion nobody expects.
Al pastor exists because Lebanese immigrants brought vertical spit-roasting — the same technique behind shawarma — to central Mexico in the early 20th century, and local cooks adapted it with achiote paste, chilies, and pineapple instead of the original lamb and yogurt marinade. The trompo (spit) itself became as iconic as the tacos it produces, and the dish has since become one of the most globally recognized forms of Mexican street food.
What makes it taste like that
Thin shavings off the spit pick up char from the outer edge of the meat with every rotation, while a slice of pineapple from the top of the trompo drips down and adds a sweet counterpoint to the smoky, chili-forward pork.
Chef's note
Shave the meat thin and straight off the char — thick cuts lose the crisp edge that makes al pastor what it is.