Al Pastor: The Taco That Crossed Two Continents to Reach Your Plate
Of all the tacos in Mexico’s rich culinary canon, al pastor may have the most unlikely origin story. It’s the product of migration, cultural exchange, and culinary improvisation — and it produced one of the most beloved foods in Mexican cuisine.
If you’ve seen it on the menu at De Los Altos Grill in Milpitas and wondered what it actually is, here’s the full story.
The Lebanese Connection: Where Al Pastor Really Comes From
In the early twentieth century, Lebanese immigrants arrived in Mexico — many settling in Mexico City and the states of Puebla and Mexico City. They brought with them a cooking tradition centered on shawarma: lamb or beef marinated in spices and cooked on a vertical rotating spit (called a trompo), then shaved thin and served in flatbread.
In Mexico, the technique met a different set of ingredients. Lamb gave way to pork — more readily available and culturally integrated into Mexican cooking. The flatbread became the corn tortilla. The Middle Eastern spice blend merged with Mexican dried chiles: guajillo, ancho, and the vibrant red of achiote (annatto seed), which gave the meat its characteristic deep orange-red color.
The result was al pastor: the “shepherd style” taco, named for the shepherding culture the Lebanese immigrants brought with them. By the mid-twentieth century, it had become a fixture of Mexico City street food — and eventually spread across the country, becoming one of the most ordered tacos everywhere from Tijuana to Oaxaca.
How Al Pastor Is Made
The preparation of al pastor is distinctive and recognizable once you know what to look for.
The Marinade Pork shoulder — a cut with enough fat to stay moist during long cooking — is marinated in a paste of dried chiles (typically guajillo and ancho), achiote, cumin, garlic, vinegar or citrus, and sometimes pineapple. The marinade penetrates the meat over hours, building the complex, slightly sweet and smoky flavor profile that defines al pastor.
The Trompo Marinated pork is stacked in layers on a vertical rotating spit — the trompo (Spanish for “spinning top”). The outer layers cook slowly as they rotate beside a heat source, developing a caramelized crust. The cook shaves thin slices directly from the rotating cone, catching the cooked edges while the interior continues to cook.
The Tortilla Al pastor is served on corn tortillas — ideally hand-pressed from masa, fresh and warm. The corn flavor of the tortilla is an essential counterpart to the rich, spiced pork. A flour tortilla would muffle the flavors. A pre-packaged corn tortilla lacks the softness and aroma of one made fresh.
At De Los Altos Grill, al pastor is served on hand-pressed corn tortillas in the Jalisco tradition — fresh masa, pressed to order, with fresh onions and cilantro. This is the format that lets the quality of the meat speak.
The Finish In the classic preparation, a slice of pineapple tops the trompo. As the pork cooks, pineapple juices drip down, adding a subtle sweetness and acidity that balances the savory depth of the chile marinade. When the cook takes a final pass and drops a piece of pineapple directly onto the shaved pork — that moment, in Mexican street food, is iconic.
What Al Pastor Tastes Like
If you’ve never had al pastor, here’s what to expect:
- Color: Deep orange-red from achiote, with caramelized dark edges where the meat touched the heat source
- Flavor: Savory, mildly smoky, gently sweet, with depth from the dried chile marinade — not spicy-hot, but complex
- Texture: Tender, thinly shaved, with some crisp edges from the direct heat
- On the tortilla: The contrast of the richly seasoned pork against the clean corn flavor of a hand-pressed tortilla, with fresh raw onion and cilantro for brightness
It is one of the most complete flavor experiences in Mexican cuisine.
Al Pastor at De Los Altos Grill
De Los Altos Grill, inspired by roots in Jalisco, serves al pastor on hand-pressed corn tortillas with fresh onions and cilantro — the traditional, unadorned format that puts the quality of the meat and tortilla front and center.
As an extension of Los Altos Taqueria in Mountain View — a South Bay institution — De Los Altos brings the same culinary standards and Jalisco-inspired approach to Milmont Drive in Milpitas.
Order al pastor tacos for dine-in or through the direct online ordering platform below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is al pastor spicy? Not typically — the heat in al pastor comes from dried chiles, which add depth and complexity more than sharp spice. It’s a richly flavored, mildly smoky marinade rather than a fiery one. If you’re sensitive to heat, al pastor is generally a safe and delicious choice.
What’s the difference between al pastor and carnitas? Both are pork-based taco fillings, but the preparation is very different. Carnitas is slow-braised or fried pork — tender, fatty, with a mild pork flavor. Al pastor is marinated in chiles and achiote and cooked on a vertical spit — spiced, more complex, with that distinctive red color.
Can I order al pastor tacos online at De Los Altos? Yes — order directly at online-ordering.innowi.com/branch/Delosaltos. No third-party fees.
