Our Story

Eighteen Thousand Islands began in the summer of 2002/2003 when we (cousins Chris and Merv) started selling satays at Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Night Market, inspired by our grandmother’s legendary peanut sauce. Our makeshift charcoal grill quickly drew crowds, selling over 2000 skewers and 60 litres of sauce each night. By summer’s end, we decided to open a permanent spot.

After months of searching, we found a tiny shop in Melbourne’s CBD and launched Sataybar in 2004—dedicated to perfecting one thing: satay. Though a niche concept at the time, it gained attention, especially after Matt Preston wrote in The Age:

"So Satay-isfying... Sataybar does just one thing and does it well. That thing is satay."

As word spread, we opened a second location and earned consistent praise, including from The Age Cheap Eats:

"It’s a simple formula but when Grandma’s satay recipe tastes this good, why mess with it?"

We sold Sataybar in 2012, but the love for our grandmother’s cooking never left us. In 2015, we set out to bottle that passion—starting with our peanut sauce—under a name that reflects the diversity of Indonesian cuisine: Eighteen Thousand Islands.