National City Food Hall Adds Boutique Culinary Store

Market on 8th, the 9,000-square-foot food and beer hall headed for National City, is currently scheduled to get underway by April or May, says developer Joel Tubao. Incorporating a tasting room for South Bay’s Novo Brazil Brewing Company, it will hold a range of new and established eateries offering everything from Filipino, Mexican, and Thai cuisine to barbecue, ramen, and desserts; Tubao says that two remaining spaces should be filled soon. One of food hall’s newer additions is a boutique retail experience from well-known chef Phillip Esteban (CH Projects, The Cork & Craft). Called Wordsmith, it will be an eclectic culinary shop and bookstore designed by local firm Tecture (Nolita Hall, Bivouac Ciderworks)

Esteban, who is working on another major project in his hometown of National City with his creative team Open Gym that will include his first solo restaurant, says the store will aim to bridge the gap between commercial and home kitchens by providing better access to chef’s supplies and accessories, from plating spoons, aprons, and special knives as well as spices, sauces, and more from local vendors. True to its name, Wordsmith will also feature a curated selection of cookbooks and other food-related writing and provide the South Bay with a spot to hold culinary events, including book signings, tastings, and art shows.