Named after Sir Andrew Clarke, a governor of the British Straits Settlements, the area was once a busy trading district in Singapore during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Bumboats and lighters would bring produce and goods up the Singapore River for traders who kept them in warehouses in the vicinity. Goods would then be transferred by road to various other parts of the island, making Clarke Quay a major distirbution centre.

Today, the whole area has been restored and transformed into a centre for dining and entertainment, which is popular with both locals and tourists especially in the evening and at night.