Singapore’s beloved Satay by the Bay is getting ready to close its doors, giving diners only a few more weeks to enjoy the waterfront food spot before a major redevelopment transforms the area.
The open-air food court at Gardens by the Bay will stop operations from Oct. 1, 2026, making Sept. 30 the final day of trading, according to Gardens by the Bay and reports from The Straits Times and AsiaOne.
The closure is not due to a food-safety issue or business shutdown. Instead, the site will be incorporated into the upcoming Wetlands by the Bay development.
A major transformation is coming
Wetlands by the Bay will expand the existing Kingfisher Wetlands into a roughly five-hectare attraction, about three times the current wetlands area.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027, with the new attraction targeted to open progressively from the end of 2028.
The redevelopment is planned to include new wetland habitats, community spaces and a flagship museum by international art collective teamLab.
Most importantly for food lovers, the Satay by the Bay site is not simply disappearing forever as a dining location.
A new two-storey waterfront dining block is planned as part of the redevelopment, with the first level expected to continue offering more affordable dining options while the second floor will provide additional leisure dining choices.
The end of an era for the current food court
Satay by the Bay opened in 2013 and became a popular destination for locals and tourists looking for Singaporean favourites beside the waterfront.
Gardens by the Bay currently describes it as a place for local dishes ranging from satay and BBQ chicken wings to chilli crab.
The food court has around 1,000 seats, according to The Straits Times.
The closure therefore represents more than the loss of another food outlet — it marks another chapter in the long history of Singapore’s famous Satay Club tradition.
Satay Club dates back to the 1940s
The story goes much further back than Gardens by the Bay.
Singapore’s National Heritage Board says the original Satay Club began in the late 1940s on Hoi How Road, off Beach Road.
It subsequently moved several times before becoming a famous open-air food centre around the Esplanade in the 1970s. The Esplanade Satay Club was eventually demolished in 1995 to make way for the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay complex and the Nicoll Highway extension.
Of the original 28 stallholders, eight moved to Clarke Quay’s Satay Club, while others went elsewhere.
Satay by the Bay became the latest incarnation of that famous hawker tradition when it opened in 2013.
Diners have one month left
Until the closure, Satay by the Bay will continue operating under its existing schedule.
On weekdays, the food stalls operate from 11.30am to 10pm, while the drink stall operates from 9am to 10.30pm. On weekends, operations run from 9am to 10.30pm.
The Satay by the Bay team has already urged customers to return for a final feast before saying goodbye.
But there is still an important unanswered question: will the familiar Satay by the Bay name, stalls and hawker lineup return when the new waterfront dining block opens?
Gardens by the Bay has announced the replacement dining facility, but details about which existing stallholders will return have not been publicly confirmed.
For longtime Singaporeans and visitors who have enjoyed satay beneath the Gardens by the Bay skyline, September could therefore be the final opportunity to experience the current version of this iconic food destination.
One of Singapore’s most recognizable waterfront food spots is about to disappear — but could its next chapter be even bigger?
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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