From beef tongue in Arlington to carnitas in Somerville to fish tacos near the waterfront to Korean-style galbi short rib tacos in Allston, there’s no deficit of tempting taco destinations in Greater Boston. This map focuses on one particular kind of taco, however: tacos al pastor.
Al pastor is a fusion dish created in Puebla, Mexico, in the 1930s by Lebanese immigrants, who employed the vertical spit-fire technique used to make shawarma, while replacing lamb with pork and flatbreads with tortillas. Al pastor — which translates from Spanish to “shepherd style” — is usually served with pineapple. (The pineapple is sometimes loaded onto the spit along with the pork.)
The spit-fired pork is the star of the show here, and as such limited garnishes are necessary on tacos al pastor: a little onion and cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and an occasional dash of hot sauce go best.
Here are Greater Boston’s best tacos al pastor.
NOTE: A number of Boston restaurants have resumed dine-in service. The level of service offered is indicated on each map point. However, this should not be taken as endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns: For updated information on coronavirus cases in the area, please visit the Massachusetts coronavirus website.
Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.
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