Lau Pa Sat — Singapore's Most Iconic Hawker Centre
If you visit one food destination in Singapore, make it Lau Pa Sat. Tucked between glass towers in the heart of the Central Business District, this Victorian cast-iron market building from 1894 is a functioning hawker centre that has fed Singaporeans and visitors for well over a century. As a Singapore resident, it remains one of my favourite spots to bring visitors — nowhere else in the world will you eat chicken rice under a heritage roof while surrounded by skyscrapers.
What to Eat
The variety inside is genuinely overwhelming on a first visit. My regular picks: char kway teow from the stalls on the eastern side, laksa, Hainanese chicken rice, and the roti prata near the entrance. Budget roughly SGD 5 to 10 per dish for most hawker fare. The quality is consistently high — stall holders have been perfecting the same recipes for decades.
Satay Street After Dark
From around 7 PM, Boon Tat Street alongside the building transforms into Satay Street — arguably the best open-air satay experience in Singapore. Dozens of vendors set up grills along the road, the smoke drifts between the office towers, and you order by the skewer. Chicken, mutton, and prawn satay with ketupat and peanut sauce. It is genuinely special and worth timing your visit around.
Getting There and Practical Tips
- MRT: Raffles Place station (EW and NS lines), Exit H — two minutes walk
- Opening hours: The hawker centre operates roughly 24 hours; individual stalls vary. Satay Street runs evenings only
- Peak hours: Weekday lunch is busy with CBD office workers — arrive before noon or after 1:30 PM
- Payment: Most stalls accept PayNow and NETS; carry some cash for older vendors
- Best time to visit: Weekday evenings for Satay Street with a manageable crowd
Lau Pa Sat is free to enter and requires no reservation. Just show up, follow your nose, and eat well.
