Set within the university’s Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood, across from the La Jolla Playhouse, Station 8 promises to transform the idea of on-campus dining into something far more ambitious - an immersive, design-forward destination open to both the university community and the public.
Station 8 will sit across from Dora, an incoming coastal Italian restaurant from Chef Accursio Lota, the world pasta champion and owner of North Park’s acclaimed Trattoria Cori Pastificio. Dora, set to open in the coming months, will feature handmade pastas, Sicilian-inspired seafood dishes, and a pre-theater dining program in collaboration with the Playhouse.
The two-story, 20,000-square-foot project will feature ten globally inspired eateries, two full bars, and a 5,122-square-foot mezzanine level that will house its own unique concept to be announced closer to opening. The development also includes a 2,643-square-foot outdoor patio and seating for over 300 guests. Designed by acclaimed local firm Basile Studio - the creative force behind Born & Raised, Raised by Wolves, and the upcoming RoseAcre in La Jolla - the space will showcase the firm’s signature architectural innovation, blending theatrical flair with a sleek, modern aesthetic.
Station 8 is the work of Tiger Hospitality, the hospitality collective founded by Berke Bakay, Eren Unur, and Brett Johnson, who first met at Carlsbad’s Windmill Food Hall. The group has since launched a series of successful restaurant ventures including Lobster Lab, Cosmos Burger, and La Vida - two of which will be featured among Station 8’s culinary lineup. The partners describe the project as one of the first truly public, locally driven food halls on a college campus in the United States, prioritizing small business operators over national chains and curating menus that reflect the global diversity of the UCSD community.
Bakay, a La Jolla resident, said Station 8 aims to create a space that’s “approachable from a price perspective” while still offering a “magical combination” of culinary experiences. In addition to serving UCSD students and faculty, the market will cater to theatergoers from the La Jolla Playhouse and the greater San Diego community, positioning itself as a new cultural and culinary gateway to the university.
Station 8 also represents part of a broader regional vision for Tiger Hospitality, which is rapidly expanding its food hall portfolio across Southern California. The group recently took over the shuttered Little Italy Food Hall in Piazza della Famiglia, which is being completely reimagined by Basile Studio and will reopen with a fresh lineup of dining concepts later this year. That project sits adjacent to Tiger Hospitality’s newly unveiled Good Enough Cocktail Club, a new neighborhood bar led by the creators of Carlsbad’s Same Same. Further north, Tiger Hospitality is also developing a third food hall inside the historic Miramar Theatre complex in San Clemente, slated to open in 2026.
Station 8 is the work of Tiger Hospitality, the hospitality collective founded by Berke Bakay, Eren Unur, and Brett Johnson, who first met at Carlsbad’s Windmill Food Hall. The group has since launched a series of successful restaurant ventures including Lobster Lab, Cosmos Burger, and La Vida - two of which will be featured among Station 8’s culinary lineup. The partners describe the project as one of the first truly public, locally driven food halls on a college campus in the United States, prioritizing small business operators over national chains and curating menus that reflect the global diversity of the UCSD community.
Bakay, a La Jolla resident, said Station 8 aims to create a space that’s “approachable from a price perspective” while still offering a “magical combination” of culinary experiences. In addition to serving UCSD students and faculty, the market will cater to theatergoers from the La Jolla Playhouse and the greater San Diego community, positioning itself as a new cultural and culinary gateway to the university.
Station 8 also represents part of a broader regional vision for Tiger Hospitality, which is rapidly expanding its food hall portfolio across Southern California. The group recently took over the shuttered Little Italy Food Hall in Piazza della Famiglia, which is being completely reimagined by Basile Studio and will reopen with a fresh lineup of dining concepts later this year. That project sits adjacent to Tiger Hospitality’s newly unveiled Good Enough Cocktail Club, a new neighborhood bar led by the creators of Carlsbad’s Same Same. Further north, Tiger Hospitality is also developing a third food hall inside the historic Miramar Theatre complex in San Clemente, slated to open in 2026.
Station 8 Public Market is anticipated to open in August 2026 at 9165 South Scholars Drive on the UCSD campus in La Jolla. For more information, visit station8publicmarket.com.
Originally published on October 29, 2025.
