Lau Pa Sat
A Victorian cast-iron market hall in the CBD, famous for its evening satay street.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Best time
- Evening for satay street
- Cost
- Free to enter; food paid
The story
Lau Pa Sat, meaning 'old market' in Hokkien, is a historic hawker centre in Singapore's central business district, housed in an ornate octagonal cast-iron structure dating to the 1890s. A gazetted national monument, the Victorian filigree pavilion was originally imported from Scotland. Today it remains a bustling food destination, famous for its evening satay street where an adjoining road closes to become open-air grills.
What to see & do
- 01The ornate Victorian cast-iron octagonal pavilion.
- 02The evening 'Satay Street' with open-air charcoal grills.
- 03A wide range of local hawker stalls under one roof.
- 04The lively lunchtime buzz of the surrounding CBD crowd.
- 05The heritage architecture in the heart of the financial district.
Make the most of your visit
- Come in the evening for the atmospheric outdoor satay street.
- Entry is free; you pay only for the food you order.
- Lunchtimes are busy with office workers, so go slightly off-peak.
- Bring some cash, as smaller stalls may prefer it.
- Try the satay and local favourites for the full experience.
Getting there
Take the MRT to Telok Ayer, Raffles Place or Downtown stations, all a short walk away in the CBD. It sits amid the office towers of the financial district.
Nearest MRT stations- Telok Ayer MRT Station3.4 min walk
- Downtown MRT Station4.6 min walk
- Dt184.7 min walk
- Raffles Place MRT Station5.7 min walk
Walk times are real pedestrian routing (OSRM) from the attraction to each station entrance, not straight-line estimates.
Where to eat nearby — hawker centres
- Capitaspring4.7 min
- Mnd Complex (annexe B)7.4 min
- Hong Lim Complex10.6 min
- Maxwell Food Centre10.7 min
- Chinatown Complex12.1 min
Eat & stay nearby
Top-rated restaurants and hotels within walking distance of Lau Pa Sat, pulled live from Google. Tap any to open it in Google Maps.
EV charging nearby
Driving an EV? The nearest public charging points to Lau Pa Sat, from Singapore’s LTA charger registry.
- The Sail @ Marina BayVolt Singapore Pte. Ltd.· up to 11 kW251 m
- Asia Square Tower 2Sp Mobility Pte. Ltd.· up to 22 kW267 m
- Marina Bay ResidencesNovowatt Pte. Ltd.· up to 22 kW524 m
- Chinatown PointVolt Singapore Pte. Ltd.· up to 60 kW· DC fast794 m
Distances are straight-line from the attraction. See the full EV charger map →
More to see within walking distance
Itineraries that include Lau Pa Sat
See how visitors fit Lau Pa Sat into a day — with what to pair it with, when to go and real traveller notes.