Into China Guide
A platter of sliced Peking duck with pancakes, cucumber, scallion, and sauce

Food guide · Verified 2026-07-05

Peking Duck

By Mia

Lacquered, crackling skin carved at your table and wrapped in delicate pancakes — Beijing's most famous dish, and a rite of passage for any first trip.

Peking duck (北京烤鸭, Běijīng kǎoyā) has been roasted in the capital for six centuries. The magic is the skin — glass-crisp, mahogany, and traditionally the whole reason the dish exists. Here's how to eat it properly and where to find the good stuff.

How to eat Peking duck

  1. Take a pancake

    Lay one of the thin, translucent wheat pancakes flat on your plate. They're steamed and delicate — one wrap per bite-sized parcel.

  2. Add sauce and skin

    Brush a little sweet bean sauce (tiánmiànjiàng) onto the pancake with a scallion, then lay on a piece or two of duck — aim for a mix of crisp skin and meat.

  3. Add scallion and cucumber

    Top with the julienned scallion and cucumber batons for crunch and freshness. Some places offer sugar to dip the pure-skin pieces in — a classic first bite.

  4. Roll and eat

    Fold the bottom up, roll the sides in to make a little parcel, and eat it in one or two bites. Repeat until the plate is gone — which won't take long.

Slices of crisp-skinned Peking duck plated with herbs

It's all about the skin

A good roast-duck house carves the bird tableside, and the prized pieces are the crisp skin from the breast. Traditions worth knowing:

  • Skin first, dipped in sugar — the classic opening bite at old-school restaurants.
  • The carve is a show — the chef brings the whole lacquered duck to your table before slicing it into dozens of pieces.
  • Nothing's wasted — the carcass often returns as a soup to finish the meal.
Book ahead: the celebrated Beijing duck houses fill up, and some roast a fixed number of ducks a day. Reserve for dinner, and note a whole duck comfortably feeds two to four — order sides to round out the meal. Phone-only place? Here's how to book a restaurant in China without speaking Chinese.

Frequently asked questions

How do you eat Peking duck?
Wrap it: take a thin pancake, brush on sweet bean sauce with a scallion, add slices of duck (skin and meat), top with scallion and cucumber, roll it into a parcel, and eat by hand. It's assembled at the table, one wrap at a time.
What's the best part of Peking duck?
The lacquered, crackling skin — that's the whole point of the dish. At traditional restaurants the chef slices the duck tableside, prioritizing crisp skin. Purists eat the first pieces of pure skin dipped in a little sugar.
Do I need to book for Peking duck?
At the famous roast-duck houses in Beijing, yes — reserve ahead, especially for dinner, as the best places fill up and some roast a limited number of ducks per day. A whole duck feeds two to four people.
Where should I eat Peking duck in Beijing?
Long-established names like Quanjude and Bianyifang are the historic institutions; Siji Minfu and Jingzun are popular modern favorites with locals and visitors alike. Any of them will carve tableside — the experience is part of the meal.
How much does Peking duck cost?
A whole duck at a mid-range specialist typically runs a few hundred RMB and serves several people, usually including the pancakes and condiments. Prestige restaurants charge more; casual spots less.

Verified 2026-07-05. Photos: licensed travel photography.

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