Okay, so Mexico City, or CDMX as it is more commonly styled now, is not a state. However, despite dropping the Distrito Federal title a few years back, it still has federal status as the country’s capital. More to the point, it’s also the nation’s culinary capital, so I’m including it in this series.
Of course, its signature dish is tacos al pastor. Well, perhaps the “of course” is no longer warranted. Mexico City is a paradise of taco styles and new ones are always evolving. One of the most interesting developments in recent years is the repurposing of the trompo, the vertical spit on which tacos al pastor are traditionally roasted, for Brazilian-style picanha or other steak cuts such as sirloin and ribeye. La Once Mil and El Remolkito del Sirloin are at the forefront of this trend.
However, if the capital is synonymous with one taco style, it’s undoubtedly still tacos al pastor.
The birth of tacos al pastor
Mexico is a melting pot of cultures, with amazing results for its cuisine. Tacos al pastor famously evolved from the shawarma style of cooking that originated during the latter period of the Ottoman Empire and features marinated lamb slow-cooked on a vertical spit and served in pita bread. When the Ottoman Empire crumbled, part of it became Lebanon. But before this happened, an influx of Lebanese immigrated to Mexico during the late 19th and early 20th century. Most settled in Puebla and CDMX, with shawarma transforming into tacos árabes in Puebla during the 1930s.
How did tacos árabes — delicious in their own right — transform again into tacos al pastor? This happened in the late 1950s or early 1960s when a culinary boom in CDMX inspired a vibrant taco scene. The taco al pastor developed around then, with lamb changing into marinated pork on the trompo, and acquiring all the fixings we now take for granted.
How tacos al pastor are made
One of the most important elements of slow-roasted pork on the trompo is the marinade it has been given. Most restaurants have their respective secret recipes, but one ingredient never changes: achiote. That’s what gives al pastor tacos their distinctive orange-red color. The other distinguishing ingredient, at least during the trompo phase, is the pineapple affixed above the pork.
This isn’t for show. Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein, causing meat to tenderize. I have friends who refuse to have pineapple pieces added to their tacos al pastor after the taquero has artfully sliced the pork right onto a corn tortilla. It seems weird to me since tacos al pastor would not taste the way it does without pineapple dripping onto the meat during the slow-cooking process. Also, sweet and acidic pineapple pieces are the perfect complement to rich pork. But to each their own!
Onions and cilantro are also critical pieces of the culinary art form known as tacos al pastor, as are the already mentioned corn tortillas. Additionally, the corn tortillas should be smaller than a normal-sized tortilla, a key element, as confirmed by Carlos Ceja of CDMX landmark El Califa (not to be confused with El Califa de León, the only taquería to be awarded a Michelin Star) to the BBC in 2015.
His advice is as true now as it was then. That’s why I adjudge the proper number of tacos al pastor to eat in one sitting as five. But perhaps I’m a tad more gluttonous than most. As to the correct time, the later the better. I used the word “sitting”, but these are tacos meant to be eaten standing up late at night.
The pioneering taquerias serving tacos al pastor in Mexico City
What was the first taqueria in CDMX to serve tacos al pastor? Why is it called a “shepherd” taco in the first place? These are good questions. As to the latter, it’s unclear, but it may have something to do with the taco style’s Middle Eastern origins. As to the former, this is a controversial issue. However, most agree that it was either El Tizoncito or El Huequito.
According to El Tizoncito, which, like El Califa, was born in CDMX’s trendy La Condesa neighborhood, the taco’s origins lay with founder Concepción Cervantes y Eguiluz (AKA Doña Conchita), who was inspired by the shawarma method of cooking and invented tacos al pastor in 1966.
However, it must be pointed out that El Huequito opened in 1959 and predates El Tizoncito. During that year, so the story goes, Guillermo Buendía and Amelia González began selling tacos al pastor in a tiny taquería in what is now the city’s Centro Histórico.
Which story is true? Local lore credits the creation of the taco al pastor to El Huequito and the first use of the pineapple to El Tizoncito. But regardless of who made these tacos first, both businesses have parlayed their pioneering efforts into ongoing popularity and continuing excellence for 60 years, more or less.
Where to get the best tacos al pastor in Mexico City
There are tons of taquerías in CDMX famed locally for their tacos al pastor, starting with El Tizoncito and El Huequito. Each is still open and El Tizoncito now has multiple locations from which to choose.
Several other specialists merit inclusion in this discussion, including El Califa, El Fogoncito, La Onda, Los Güeros, and Taco Inn. Each is a master of the art of the taco al pastor and has its signature touches. For instance, Los Güeros, memorably profiled on the enjoyable Netflix show Las Crónicas del Taco, boasts a marinade featuring orange juice and cinnamon along with the inevitable achiote; while El Huequito’s marinade is known to include achiote and guajillo chile; and El Tizoncito is noted for its salsa verde (yes, salsa and a squeeze of lime are also de rigueur).
El Charco de las Ranas (“the puddle of the frogs”) is a restaurant, not a taquería, but its tacos al pastor are also spot on and to CDMX connoisseurs, that’s all that matters.
Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.
