Al pastor literally means “shepherd style” in Spanish and refers to a way of cooking marinated meat (traditionally pork) on a vertical spit, inspired by Middle Eastern shawarma.

Quick Scoop: What does al pastor mean?

  • In Spanish, pastor means “shepherd,” so al pastor is “shepherd style” or “in the style of the shepherd.”
  • The term describes both the method (stacked, spit-roasted meat) and the flavor profile (chiles, spices, often pineapple).
  • It came from Lebanese immigrants in Mexico who adapted their shawarma technique using local ingredients and pork instead of lamb.

How it shows up on a menu

When you see “tacos al pastor” or just “al pastor”:

  • It’s usually thin-sliced pork, marinated with chiles, spices, and sometimes achiote.
  • It’s cooked on a vertical spit (trompo) and shaved off in small, crispy-edged pieces.
  • It’s often served with small tortillas, onion, cilantro, salsa, and a bit of grilled pineapple on top.

Tiny history snapshot

  • Lebanese immigrants brought spit-roasted lamb (shawarma) to Mexico in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  • Mexican cooks swapped in pork and local marinades, creating what became known as tacos al pastor.

So when you order al pastor , you’re really ordering meat done “shepherd style” — Mexican shawarma’s spicy, pineapple-kissed cousin.

TL;DR: Al pastor means “shepherd style” and refers to marinated, spit- roasted meat (usually pork) cooked on a vertical rotisserie, a Mexican twist on Lebanese shawarma.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.