Market on 8th
Food court · National City
41 E 8th St, National City, CA 91950
Highlights
Diverse food hall with pizza, ramen, poke, Thai, Filipino & more
Diverse food hall with pizza, ramen, poke, Thai, Filipino & more
"The National City food hall recently unveiled a near-complete refresh of its culinary lineup, mixing established restaurants and new ventures that include Carnitas Quiroga and Kiko’s Place, local favorites for carnitas and mariscos, as well a bustling Mexican brunch spot and a stall specializing in Mexicali-style Chinese dishes. Burgers, Thai and Japanese food, and excellent Neapolitan pizza are also part of the reinvigorated market, with a wine garden and more vendors on the way." - Helen I. Hwang, Candice Woo, Eater Staff
"Since unveiling a fresh lineup of mostly Mexican cuisine, Market on 8th is bustling with activity again three years after landing in National City. In 2021, the food hall opened with an exciting list of tenants primarily focused on Asian food. Roger Cañez, the latest operator, has brought in established restaurants like Kiko’s Place and Carnitas Quiroga, as well as new entries like Marcella and Coleta. Cañez himself runs Xi-Cali and Tacos La Ocho. The market is seeing 1,600 to 1,800 visitors daily and plans to expand with new ventures and enhancements." - Candice Woo
"For nearly three decades a longtime weekend stall in Pacific Mall drew long lines of locals and out-of-towners for hand-pulled dragon’s beard candy, a white, fluffy sugar treat whose stretched strands are wrapped around a crunchy core of peanuts, coconut, and sesame. The vendor’s theatrical technique—stretching ropes of sugar like an accordion, slapping them onto rice flour to separate the strands, and sending flour dust into the air—was as much a draw as the candy itself; the finished pieces offer shifting textures as some strands dissolve while others shatter into feuilletine-like flakes before becoming a chewy, crunchy nougat. At peak weekends he produced hundreds of pieces but refused to rush the work, preferring to keep production small and personal rather than franchise or expand; as a result the stall’s future is uncertain, with the maker moving toward private events and occasional online sales as he contemplates retirement." - Tiffany Leigh
"The chefs, who run the popular local supper club Cops and Robbers, are also behind the Butcher’s Plate, a new food stall launching National City’s Market on 8th that will serve rotisserie meats, salads, and sandwiches." - Candice Woo
"A thrilling new addition to the National City food scene, this 9,000-square-foot public market and food hall launched in October with a compelling mix of new and established food tenants. Bringing a diverse set of dining options to the neighborhood, Market on 8th’s food stalls range from a ramen spots run by chef Phiilip Esteban, Eater San Diego’s changemaker of the year, to shops offering Thai, Indonesian, Filipino, and Mexican cuisine." - Candice Woo
