SINGAPORE: After living in Singapore for two decades, a Malaysian woman still struggles to understand why many locals appear to be “so against Lau Pa Sat.”
She shared her views in a post on the r/askSG forum on Tuesday (Jan 20), explaining that having travelled to around 48 countries and lived in several of them, she considers Lau Pa Sat to be “a clean, nicely renovated, fun spot full of history.”
“If one can eat at hawker centres or foodcourts, why not Lau Pa Sat?” she asked.
She pointed out that in the United States, it is common for people to go on dates at Chinese restaurants or even over pizza, and noted that she has seen couples spending time together at Chelsea Market in New York City, which she felt was comparable to Lau Pa Sat in atmosphere and concept.
“I hope Lau Pasat gets the recognition it deserves,” she said. “There is no need to overly romanticise Western, Japanese or Korean dining. It is good to dine in occassionally.”
“Lau Pa Sat is decently average with above average prices.”
More than 100 Singaporeans chimed in on the discussion to give their two cents.
The most upvoted response came from a commenter who said that “it’s the same reason why locals of many countries stay away from basic tourist spots – it’s overpriced, watered down, overly commercialised, and there are better things available for much better prices.”
“Don’t get me wrong, the history is rich, and the location is prime real estate. The food options there are fine for foreigners wanting a taste of ‘local’ food,” they continued.
“But the food options there are poor value, sometimes up to 2x the price of what it’d cost closer to the housing areas away from the city. The operator running it doesn’t offer anything really special other than being in a good location.”
Another local explained, “I don’t think people are against Lau Pa Sat per se, other than the fact that it can be a bit of a tourist trap at night? The food is decent and hordes of office workers eat lunch there.”
“In terms of whether it is a good spot for a date, I don’t know, maybe people expect more effort than just going to the same place where they just had lunch with their colleagues? And Chelsea Market is not like Lau Pa Sat at all.”
A third said, “By hawker food standards Lau Pa Sat is decently average with above average prices. I bring friends visiting from overseas there for the atmosphere and the least offensive versions of common Singapore foods but if I’m going out of my way to eat something specific, there are plenty of better choices.”
A fourth told her, “You guys don’t consume food at hawker centres and food courts on a regular basis. We do food courts and hawker centres daily. So to us, places like Lau Pa Sat become too common. Therefore, some quarters expect dates to be at somewhere different.”
Despite the largely critical feedback, several users echoed the woman’s view and spoke positively about the venue.
One wrote, “I’m not against LPS! I work near there, and my friends and I meet up there at times late after work. It’s great.”
Another explained, “Price aside, I love sitting outside at night enjoying the satay. Gives me the holiday feels. Where in Singapore can you eat ‘street food’ without having the fear of diarrhoea? Lau Pa Sat tops satay at Castle Beach, Newton, other night places Plus also not super hot. The environment is enjoyable.”
Lau Pa Sat has been a recurring topic of debate in dating circles over the past few years, with locals divided over whether it is a suitable first-date spot.
In February 2024, a woman faced online backlash after expressing in a video that she was disgusted when her date suggested going to Lau Pa Sat.
Similarly, in 2025, another woman wrote in her Instagram story: “Anyone who invites me to Lau Pa Sat is getting cancelled. It’s just plain rude lol. I don’t care how handsome you are. I don’t give chances, this is not charity.”
