Do not go to Quanjude. I know it is the famous one. I know it has been serving duck since 1864. Go to Siji Minfu instead. The duck is better, the price is similar, and the queue of locals outside the door tells you everything you need to know. Quanjude is for tour buses. Siji Minfu is for people who care about the duck. For the full food context: Ultimate Chinese Food Guide.
Key Takeaways
- The skin is the point. Crispy, paper-thin, lacquered. The meat is secondary.
- Go to Siji Minfu for mid-range. Da Dong for upscale. Not Quanjude.
- Assemble correctly: thin pancake, thin hoisin, skin first, spring onion, cucumber. Fold. Hands.
- A whole duck costs ¥180 to ¥280 at a mid-range restaurant. Feeds 2 to 4.
- Book ahead at Siji Minfu on weekends. Queues form by 6pm.
- The carcass becomes soup. Ask if it is included or extra.
How the Duck Is Prepared
A proper Peking duck takes at least 24 hours to prepare. The duck is cleaned, air is pumped between the skin and meat to separate them, it is scalded with boiling water, coated in a maltose glaze, and then air-dried for 12 to 24 hours in a cold environment. This drying is what makes the skin paper-thin. The duck is then roasted in a closed oven (kaolu, 烤炉) fueled by fruit wood, typically jujube or pear. The dish has been served in Beijing since the Yuan dynasty and is recognized by the China National Tourism Administration as one of China’s representative culinary traditions.
The Tableside Carving
At a traditional duck restaurant, the chef wheels the roasted duck to your table on a trolley. They carve it in front of you. Skin is carved first and served immediately while it is at peak crispiness. The skin should be translucent, almost glassy. A skilled carver produces around 108 slices from a single duck. After the skin, the meat is sliced and served as a second course.
How to Eat It
- Take one thin pancake and lay it flat in your palm.
- Spread a thin layer of hoisin sauce across the center. Thin. Not a lot.
- Place 2 to 3 slices of skin on the sauce. Add one or two slices of meat if you like.
- Add one strip of spring onion and one cucumber baton.
- Fold the bottom of the pancake up, then one side over. Eat with your hands.
- Do not use chopsticks for this. It is not practical and looks awkward.
Where to Go in Beijing
| Restaurant | Style | Price Per Duck | Notes |
| Siji Minfu (四季民福) | Upscale local favorite, multiple branches | ¥228 to ¥268 | Queue forms. Worth the wait. Best value for quality. |
| Da Dong (大董) | Upscale, artistic presentation | ¥328 to ¥428 | Thinner skin, less fat. Modern plating. Book 1 to 2 weeks ahead. |
| Bianyifang (便宜坊) | Historical establishment, closed-oven method since 1416 | ¥188 to ¥258 | The original technique. Different from open-oven Quanjude. |
| Quanjude (全聚德) | Tourist institution, Tiananmen branch | ¥228 to ¥298 | Fine duck. Not the best. Mostly tour groups. |
The Rest of the Meal
A Peking duck meal is not just the duck. Order 2 to 3 side dishes for a table of 2: stir-fried duck heart and liver if you eat offal, garlic cucumber (蒜泥黄瓜), braised tofu, seasonal vegetables. The duck soup from the carcass comes at the end of the meal. Eat it. A full duck dinner for two with sides costs ¥350 to ¥500 at a mid-range restaurant.
Outside Beijing
Peking duck is available throughout China but quality drops significantly outside the capital. The specific duck breed (北京鸭, Beijing duck) and the preparation tradition are concentrated in Beijing. If you are not going to Beijing, order it there and only there. It is not the same elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
For all Beijing food recommendations, see Ultimate Chinese Food Guide. For dining etiquette at a formal restaurant, see Chopstick Etiquette guide.