Tacos · Mexican · Street Food
Taco al Pastor
Born in Mexico City, Mexico
“Pork marinated in dried chillies and achiote, cooked on a vertical spit. Mexico's answer to shawarma — and it won.”
2,954 people have eaten this dish and left their thoughts across 5 platforms
9 in 10 mention caramelised pineapple contrast first
8 in 10 say it's worth it for the char from the trompo
4 in 10 would come back the same week
2 in 10 note: variable pineapple quality
Synthesised from Google · TripAdvisor · Reddit · Yelp · 1 food blog
The story the reviews tell
The taquero's pineapple flick — carved off the top of the trompo mid-air into the waiting taco — is the single most described moment in al pastor reviews. People rate stands by the char on the pork edges and whether the trompo spins all night. The recurring heartbreak: versions abroad made on a flat grill, which reviewers refuse to call al pastor at all.
What makes this version distinct
Taco al Pastor arrived in Mexico with Lebanese immigrants in the early 20th century, who brought the vertical rotisserie (trompo) for cooking shawarma. Mexican cooks replaced the lamb with pork, the spices with dried guajillo and ancho chillies, achiote paste, and pineapple. The pineapple is not decoration — it sits atop the trompo and is shaved directly onto the taco as it cooks, its enzymes tenderising the pork and its sweetness cutting the chilli heat.
Signature elements
What people love
- caramelised pineapple contrast
- char from the trompo
- addictive spice blend
- cultural history
Know before you go
- variable pineapple quality
- often poorly replicated outside Mexico City
