XUNTOS is a Tapas Bar from Chef/Owner Sandra Cordero in the heart of Downtown Santa Monica. Cordero designed XUNTOS, “together” in Gallego, to be warm, fun, not too serious, with plenty to eat. Occupying two storefronts of a 1926 building at 516 Santa Monica Boulevard, the space includes two kitchens, two mezzanines, a dining room & a bar room. XUNTOS serves tapas, unrefined: small plates from the farmer’s market around the corner to traditional dishes of Galicia, Asturias, Catalunya & the Basque Country, as they’re eaten in Spain. Natural Wines from these regions are the centerpiece of the ambitious beverage program, along with Spanish beer on draft & aperitivos made with Sherry, Vermouth & seasonal fruit. Scott Baker, previously the wine director at Somni, is the General Manager.
XUNTOS is the 2nd restaurant from Chef Cordero, who opened GASOLINA in Woodland Hills in 2015. A dining counter offering Spanish breakfast & lunch along with specialty coffee and epic Paella Nights, GASOLINA quickly became a neighborhood favorite and outgrew its 750ft2 space, moving to its current corner location at 21150 Ventura Blvd in 2019. After serving many meals to hospital workers & underserved communities in the pandemic, GASOLINA cafe | market | wine bar is now a full service restaurant with breakfast, lunch & dinner along with a market of Spanish specialties & Natural Wines. Beloved by its community, GASOLINA frequently appears on “Best of” lists for The Valley, Brunch, Paella & Spanish Cuisine in Los Angeles.
Growing up half-Spanish & half-Dutch, Cordero spent the school year in Amsterdam & her summers on the family farm near A Coruña, Galicia. She entered the front-of-house as a teenager, moved to New York City & spent a lot of time in Nolita cafes before coming to Los Angeles to open Royal/T in Culver City. Her kitchen career began here at Grace, followed by Test Kitchen & others before setting off on her own. Cordero is a James Beard WEL Fellow & co-founder of Regarding Her, a national nonprofit supporting women in hospitality.