Hawker centre guide
Lau Pa Sat and Satay Street: A Guide to Singapore's Victorian Food Market
In the middle of Singapore's financial district, between glass towers, stands an octagonal market hall made of Victorian cast iron. This is Lau Pa Sat, one of the most beautiful places to eat in the city. When the sun goes down, the road beside it fills with smoke from the satay grills.
A market with a long history
The market began in the 1820s as Telok Ayer Market, on what was then the waterfront, long before land reclamation pushed the sea back. The building you see today was designed by municipal engineer James MacRitchie. It kept the octagonal shape of the earlier market, and its cast-iron frame was made in Glasgow, Scotland. It was completed in the 1890s.
It became a food centre in the early 1970s and was gazetted as a National Monument in 1973. In the 1980s it was carefully taken apart while the MRT line was built underneath, then put back together piece by piece. When it reopened, it took the name locals had always used: Lau Pa Sat, Hokkien for "old market".
Satay Street
Every evening, a stretch of Boon Tat Street next to the market closes to cars, and satay stalls set up their grills along the road. Tables fill the street, smoke drifts through the CBD, and office workers stay for dinner instead of heading home. Things usually get going from around 7pm. Check current timings before you go.
What to order:
- Satay: chicken and mutton are the classics, often with beef and prawn too. Order by the stick, usually in tens.
- Peanut sauce, ketupat and cucumber: the ketupat rice cakes and cool cucumber balance the sweet, smoky meat.
- A big jug of something cold to share.
Tip: stall helpers may approach you with menus as you walk in. Take your time, compare a few, and don't feel pressured. Prices are usually per stick, so confirm before ordering.
Inside the market
The hall itself has dozens of stalls open through the day, serving local favourites from across the island, so it's an easy lunch stop in the CBD. Look up while you eat: the clock tower, the cast-iron columns and the ornate roof are the real stars.
Getting there
Lau Pa Sat is at 18 Raffles Quay, a short walk from Downtown, Telok Ayer and Raffles Place MRT stations. Nearby you'll also find Amoy Street Food Centre and Chinatown.
In Hawker Fantasy, Lau Pa Sat is the first stop on the Hawker Trail, and the Satay food gem is guarded by a boss who rules the grill. Can you take it back?
Hawker Fantasy is made in Singapore by a small team from the F&B industry who spend a lot of time in hawker centres. We never rank individual stalls. Every centre has its own favourites.
