The Primo's Story

Known as the "Asador" or grill master, Oakland-resident Javier Sandes, a native of Argentina had been dreaming of the day when he could offer his beloved homeland's tradition of Asado to the wider Bay Area community. 

Originally, Primo's started with backyard bbq parties in Oakland, where Javier's slow-grilling techniques and traditional recipes built a following of friends who got together on a regular basis to enjoy each other's company and Javier's delicious food.

A significant aspect of Argentine culture lies within the food tradition of Asado or grilled meats. As is customary in Argentina, family and friends gather around the parrilla (grill) where various meats have been grilling slowly for many hours. This practice of slow cooking results in a more succulent, tender, and better tasting piece of meat.

Through the ceremony of sharing food, Javier built a community of friends who refer to each other affectionately as “primos”. Primo meaning “best one” in Italian or “cousin” in Spanish perfectly exemplifies the group of best friends who got together in 2009 to take Primo's to the streets. The Primo's team is made up of Sere Peterson, Javier Sandes, Hammad Atassi and Walker Bass whose mission is to offer you an authentic Argentine experience.

Special Thanks

We'd like to offer our sincere thanks to our community partners:

• Jose Corona, Executive Director, Inner City Advisors, Oakland
• The City of Emeryville.  Thanks in particular to George Warren at the Emeryville Fire Department. 
• The City of Oakland Fire Department.  Thanks in particular to Cesar Avila and Vincent Crudele.
• ToFu Yu, Berkeley
• Theo Hartman, local Oakland artist and creator of the Primo's mural.

Vamos Primos!