Shawarma

Tacos al pastor from Carmela's Mexican Restaurant in Beaumont, Texas.

Thank the Ottoman Empire for the taco al pastor

Food

Taco al pastor, the classic Mexican street food that’s popular in the US, has roots in a surprising place: the Middle East. Thanks to immigrants from the former Ottoman Empire, the classic street dish of shawarma morphed into the beloved taco of today.

Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich from Ba Le restaurant in Dorchester, MA.

Come along on a tasting tour of some of Boston’s best international cuisine

Food