Marinated pork shaved fresh from a vertical-rotisserie trompo onto a small corn tortilla, with diced onion, cilantro, salsa and a slice of grilled pineapple. The Tijuana-style al pastor crossed the border at Tacos El Gordo.
Adobada is the Tijuana adaptation of al pastor, the Lebanese-Mexican shawarma-on-a-spit invented in Mexico City in the 1930s. Tacos El Gordo brought the Tijuana version to Chula Vista in 1998 (Broadway location) and has run a Broadway and H Street trompo since, slicing pork off the vertical rotisserie to order. The Tijuana style uses a smaller tortilla and skips the pineapple-on-top theatrics that Mexico City pastor relies on. Tacos El Gordo's adobada taco is the canonical Border San Diego adobada plate; the city's late-night taqueria menus all run a version.
4 editor picks for Adobada taco in San Diego, ranked by editorial score. All San Diego signature dishes · Adobada taco across every city.
Tacos El Gordo ★ 4.7
chula-vista · 689 H St, Chula Vista, CA 91910
Tacos El Gordo in Chula Vista is the Tijuana-style trompo taqueria on H Street and Broadway, with the city's canonical adobada al pastor sliced fresh from the vertical rotisserie.
Salud Tacos ★ 4.4
barrio-logan · 2196 Logan Ave, San Diego, CA 92113
Salud Tacos in San Diego is Ernie Becerra's Barrio Logan Chicano-style taqueria on Logan Avenue near Chicano Park, with murals on the walls and a counter built around the carne asada plancha.
Lolita's Mexican Food ★ 4.3
clairemont · 7305 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, Ste A, San Diego, CA 92111
Lolita's Mexican Food in San Diego is the Clairemont Mesa Boulevard Chicano taqueria chain founded by the Lolita Garcia family, the originator of carne asada fries in the late 1990s.
Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop ★ 4.2
mission-hills · 1810 W Washington St, San Diego, CA 92103
Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop in San Diego is the Mission Hills Mexican-wrestling-themed taqueria on Washington Street, the Diners Drive-Ins and Dives stop with masked-luchador decor.