By The Table desk · Last verified 4 October 2026
Satay is small pieces of marinated meat on skewers, grilled over charcoal and brushed with oil until glossy and charred. It’s sold by the stick, usually with a minimum order of about 10 sticks, and you can mix types. In 2026, chicken, mutton and beef sticks typically cost about S$0.60 to S$1.20 each, with prawns and specialities more. Every order comes with a bowl of peanut sauce, slices of cucumber and raw onion, and you can add ketupat, rice cakes cooked in woven coconut-leaf packets.
Smoke, sizzle and a sweet, nutty dip: satay is made for sharing on a warm evening. Here’s how the ordering works.
Quick facts
- Meats: chicken, mutton and beef are the classics; Chinese stalls also sell pork satay.
- Price: about S$0.60 to S$1.20 a stick for the usual meats in 2026; prawns cost more per piece.
- Minimum order: usually about 10 sticks in total, mixed as you like.
- Sauce: ground peanuts with spices such as coriander and cumin; some stalls add pineapple puree.
- Sides: cucumber, raw onion and ketupat (rice cakes), with ketupat charged extra.
- Famous spot: Satay Street on Boon Tat Street beside Lau Pa Sat, closed to traffic each evening from about 7pm.
How to order: what you can say
| You can say | What it means |
|---|---|
| “Ten chicken, ten mutton” | Order by count and type; the most common way |
| “Satay set for two” | Some stalls sell bundles of sticks at a set price; check how many sticks are in it |
| “Two ketupat” | Rice cakes to eat with the sauce; charged per piece or per pair |
| “More sauce” | An extra bowl of peanut sauce; often free, sometimes charged |
| “Chilli separate” | Some stalls stir chilli into the sauce; ask for it on the side |
| “Which table?” | At satay stalls you often order first, sit down, and the satay is brought to you |
| “Ta pao” | Take away; the sauce is packed separately |
Which satay is which?
| Type | What it’s like | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | Mild, sweet and juicy; the crowd-pleaser | Usually the cheapest stick |
| Mutton | Richer, gamier and slightly chewier | Often priced the same as or a little above chicken |
| Beef | Firm, savoury, well spiced | Common at Malay and halal stalls |
| Pork | Sweet and caramelised, often with fat for juiciness | Sold at Chinese stalls; the sauce often has pineapple |
| Prawn | A whole prawn on a stick | Priced per piece, well above a meat stick |
The sauce, and how to eat it
The peanut sauce is the soul of the meal: ground roasted peanuts cooked with spices, chilli and sugar into a thick, sweet and mildly spicy dip. Chinese pork satay stalls often stir in pineapple puree for a fruity tang. Here’s the local way to eat it.
- Dip the satay into the sauce while it’s hot from the grill.
- Cut ketupat into cubes and dunk them in the sauce too.
- Eat a slice of cucumber or onion between sticks to refresh your mouth.
- Keep the empty sticks on your plate, so you can check the count against the bill.
A worked order for two
Using illustrative prices inside the 2026 range: 10 chicken sticks at S$0.80 (S$8), 10 mutton sticks at S$1.00 (S$10) and 2 ketupat at S$1 each (S$2) comes to S$20, or S$10 a head before drinks. One 2026 guide to Satay Street puts a full satay meal for two with drinks at about S$15 to S$20, so prices at your stall may be lower or higher. Check the board, and confirm the total before the grilling starts.
The WahLiao Verdict
Order 10 sticks a person to start, mixed between chicken and one other meat, plus ketupat for the sauce. You can always order a second round, and it’ll arrive hotter than a big first order would. At busy satay spots, agree the price and count before you sit, and you’ll enjoy the smoke with no surprises.
Questions people ask
Can I order fewer than 10 sticks?
Some stalls allow it, but many set a minimum of about 10 sticks in total. You can usually mix types to reach it.
What happened to the Satay Club?
The famous open-air Satay Club by the Esplanade was demolished in 1995 for redevelopment. Its spirit lives on at satay stalls across the island, including Satay Street at Lau Pa Sat.
Is satay halal?
Many Malay satay stalls are halal-certified, while Chinese stalls may sell pork. See what the signs at a stall mean.
What is ketupat?
Rice cooked in a woven coconut-leaf packet until it presses into a firm cake. It’s sliced and eaten with the peanut sauce.
Sources: National Library Board Infopedia, satay, the sauce and the Satay Club; Singapore Spirit, Satay Street hours, per-stick prices and minimum orders (2026); SETHLUI.com, example stick, prawn and ketupat prices (2025). Prices vary by stall. The Table explains; it does not endorse.
Read next: Chicken Rice Explained · How a Hawker Centre Works · Back to The Table
For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.
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