Taqueria Al Pastor

"You should, of course, order the al pastor tacos at Taqueria Al Pastor, a counter-service spot in Bushwick with a couple of stools but no tables. They come piled with strips of crispy pork and cubes of pineapple. But the carne asada taco is even better. The chunks of garlicky beef are stuffed into sturdy, pleasantly chewy house-made corn tortillas with spicy guac. On one occasion they ran out of corn tortillas, and made our tacos with flour ones instead. The result? An equally outstanding handheld meal." - willa moore, bryan kim, will hartman, neha talreja, carlo mantuano, sonal shah

"At Taqueria Al Pastor, you should, of course, order the al pastor tacos. They come piled with strips of crispy pork and cubes of pineapple, and a single hefty taco constitutes a very respectable snack. But the carne asada is even better. Cut into chunks the size of seven-carat diamonds, the beef is garlicky, well-seasoned, and as bountiful as snowflakes in a snowstorm. Taqueria Al Pastor’s guacamole also has some nice kick, and the housemade corn tortillas are sturdy with the right amount of chew. The same team also has a seafood-only spot down the street called Antojitos Marineros. " - neha talreja, hannah albertine, bryan kim, sonal shah, willa moore

"Sure, there are dozens of great, old-fashioned, mainly Pueblan taquerias within the borders of Bushwick, but this place opened early in 2020 with a zingier demeanor, including a brightly painted minibus on its exterior. The lure is a humongous rotating trompo of pineapple-marinated pork al pastor, sliced and deposited on a rustic corn tortilla. Cactus, chicken, and carne asada fillings are also available." - Robert Sietsema

"Taqueria Al Pastor consistently makes some of our favorite tacos in Bushwick. It’s a counter-service spot with some space to stand and eat, but for the most part you’re getting your food here to go. You should, of course, order at least one taco al pastor. It’ll come piled with strips of crispy marinated pork and cubed pineapple, and a single hefty taco will make for a respectable snack. The sneaky truth of Taqueria Al Pastor, though, is that their carne asada is even better than their pork. Chunks of garlicky grilled beef are blanketed by a generous slap of guacamole on a sturdy house-made corn tortilla. Stop by this casual spot for what’s likely to be the best 10 minutes of your day. " - neha talreja, kenny yang, carina finn koeppicus, willa moore, will hartman

"Opened just before the virus hit town, Taqueria Al Pastor seemed very new and modern among the historic bodega taquerias of Bushwick, from the super graphics on the walls, to the open theater of a kitchen. The al pastor remains one of the city’s lushest, particularly when deposited with pineapple on a volcan, a tortilla turned up at the edges and deep fried." - Robert Sietsema