Satay by the Bay closing from Oct 1 to make way for new wetlands attraction
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The 1000-seat open-air foodcourt will make way for an “exciting refresh” as part of the upcoming Wetlands by the Bay development.
PHOTOS: EUNICE QUEK, GARDENS BY THE BAY
SINGAPORE – Satay by the Bay, an open-air foodcourt at the popular Gardens by the Bay, will pull down the shutters for good on Oct 1.
The 1,000-seat foodcourt will make way for an “exciting refresh” as part of the upcoming Wetlands by the Bay development, said Gardens by the Bay in a Facebook post on Sept 1.
In an Instagram post on Aug 28, the Satay by the Bay team thanked customers for their support and called on them to visit for a “last feast” ahead of its last day of operations on Sept 30.
“Thank you for your support and for sharing countless meals and happy moments with us. It has been our pleasure to serve you. Join us for one last feast before we say goodbye,” the post said.
Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan had announced in Parliament on March 4 that Wetlands by the Bay would open in stages from end-2028.
In addition to the existing Kingfisher Wetlands, it will take in Satay by the Bay, as well as spaces currently occupied by a carpark and a nursery, he said.
It will be three times the size of Kingfisher Wetlands, spanning about 5ha, or roughly the size of seven football fields.
Satay by the Bay, which opened in 2013, will be replaced by a new two-storey dining block.
Jason Yeo, general manager of master planning at Gardens by the Bay, told The Straits Times in March 2026 that the new dining block will be the first facility to open in Wetlands by the Bay in 2028.
International art collective teamLab, known for its immersive displays and exhibitions, will set up a new museum at Wetlands by the Bay.
Satay by the Bay traces its roots to Satay Club, which was said to have started in the late 1940s off Beach Road, according to the National Library Board website.
It moved to an open-air area at the Esplanade in the 1970s and grew into a popular spot for satay among families and tourists.
Satay by the Bay, which opened in 2013, traces its roots to Satay Club.
PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS FILE
In 1994, stallholders were told they had to relocate for the development of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and the Nicoll Highway extension.
Of the 28 stallholders, eight moved to Clarke Quay Satay Club before it shut in 2005.
Satay by the Bay was then launched as the latest incarnation of Satay Club, with eight pushcarts serving satay among other local dishes.