Where to eat the best Peking Duck in Beijing

If there’s one dish that you can’t leave Beijing without trying, it’s Peking duck. A staple in Chinese cuisine since the Ming Dynasty, the duck feast is a masterclass in contrast: ultra-crisp skin, tender meat, and tasty accompaniments like sweet sauce and crunchy cucumber – all wrapped in soft, steamed pancakes. When done right, it’s an addictive, flavour-packed culinary experience.

As the namesake city, Beijing (formerly known as Peking) has no shortage of options for Peking duck, so narrowing down the very best is serious business. To save you the legwork, we’ve rounded up the five best restaurants in town for Peking duck, ranging from cheap eats to fancy fine-dining experiences. Join J Lou as she gives you the low-down on what makes each one stand out.

Jingzun Peking Duck: Budget-friendly Pick

Price: $

For a casual yet indulgent feast, Jingzun Peking Duck gives you the best bang for your buck. This cosy, neighbourhood joint cooks up some of the best, authentic Peking duck in Beijing at a cheap price point. Carved table-side, the roasted duck is served with pancakes and the classic sides, including white sugar, fresh cucumber, spring onion and sweet sauce. They keep it simple, but every ingredient pulls its weight. Dip a piece of crispy, golden skin in the white sugar first, and enjoy the fatty, savoury-sweet flavours melting in your mouth before delving into the pancakes.

Location: Jingzun Peking Duck | 京尊烤鸭店
Address: North of Building 6, Taipingzhuang Nanli, Chunxiu Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing | 北京市朝阳区春秀路太平庄南里6号楼北侧
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How to eat Peking duck

Eating Peking duck is a fun, hands-on experience. Follow our quick guide to master the proper techniques and enjoy this traditional delicacy like a local.

Step 1: Try the skin with sugar
Dip a piece of crispy duck skin in white sugar and enjoy while it’s hot.

A piece of Peking duck skin being dipped into white sugar.

Step 2: Assemble your pancake
Lay a pancake on your plate and spread some sweet sauce over it. Layer on a few pieces of skin, duck meat, and condiments like cucumber and spring onions.

Spring onion being placed on a pancake along with Peking duck and cucumber.

Step 3: Wrap it
Fold the bottom edge of the pancake over the filling, then roll one side across to the other to form a snug cylinder.

A Peking duck pancake being folded with a pair of chopsticks.

Step 4: Eat and repeat
Ensure that the filling is neatly tucked in, then devour and repeat.

Siji Minfu: A Spin on the Classic

Price: $$

Locals will tell you that Siji Minfu is a household name in Beijing for affordable Peking duck. The sight of the plump, golden ducks coming straight out of the hanging oven is enough to win us over, but what makes this place extra special is their unique garnishes. Beyond the usual condiments, the tray also comes with garlic paste to eat with the meat, hawthorn jelly, as well as pickled cucumber and pickled radish to add a refreshing, tangy twist to the pancake.

There’s a branch conveniently located next to the Forbidden City, making it the perfect spot to refuel after following our Top Insta Spots in Beijing itinerary and exploring the iconic palace complex.

Location: Siji Minfu | 四季民福烤鸭店
Address: 11 Nanchizi Avenue, Dongcheng District, Beijing | 北京市东城区南池子大街11号
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J Lou eating Peking duck at Siji Minfu in Beijing.

A chef taking out a Peking duck from hanging oven.

Know your condiments

Peking duck is served with a vibrant spread of accompaniments that can feel intimidating. While every restaurant does things a little differently, some simple tips will help you navigate the condiment tray like a pro.

Outside of China, you usually get the classic trio: cucumber sticks, spring onions and sweet bean or hoisin sauce. But in Beijing, eating Peking duck is a full sensory experience that starts before you even roll your first pancake.

It begins with dipping the duck skin straight into plain white sugar. When you’re ready to wrap, the rest of the tray comes into play. Alongside the classic ingredients, you may find garlic paste to cut through the richness of the meat, tart hawthorn jelly, pickled vegetables or crisp melon to refresh your palate. They all work together to create a wonderful balance of flavours. Higher-end spots may even put a modern twist on the tray, offering unique additions like caviar to pair with the duck skin – adding a pop of salty, briny goodness.

Liqun Roast Duck: Authentic Flavours

Price: $$

On the hunt for a local Peking duck experience in Beijing? It doesn’t get more authentic than Liqun Roast Duck. Tucked away in a zigzagging Hutong, Beijing’s ancient residential alleyways, the restaurant transports you back in time. They follow a traditional Peking duck recipe that dates back to the Qing Dynasty, roasting their ducks in brick ovens and hand-making their pancakes, which come extra thin and chewy.

But don’t use up all your stomach space on the pancakes. There’s a second course where they deep-fry the leftover duck bones to crunchy perfection and season them with an addictive mix of spices – and it’s just as delicious as the main event.

Location: Liqun Roast Duck Restaurant | 利群烤鸭店
Address: 11 North Xiangfeng Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing | 北京市东城区前门东大街北翔凤胡同11号
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J Lou at a Peking Duck Restaurant in Beijing

Peking ducks being roasted in a brick hanging oven

Made in China: A Feast for the Eyes and the Palate

Price: $$$

Housed inside the Grand Hyatt Beijing, Made in China is a Michelin-recommended restaurant known for its showstopping Peking duck, which you can see being prepared through the grand open kitchen. You’ll want to reserve the duck in advance, but we promise that it’s worth the hassle. The duck is roasted in a traditional wood-fired oven over apricot wood and date wood, lending a sweet, fruity aroma to the meat.

Tableside carving is treated as an art form here, and the bird is carved into three distinct portions, separating the crispy skin, leg meat and breast meat. You can easily pick up leaner or fattier slices based on your preference.

Location: Made in China | 长安壹号
Address: Lobby Level, Grand Hyatt Beijing, 1 East Chang'an Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing | 北京市东城区东长安街1号北京东方君悦大酒店大堂层
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Da Dong: Dine like Royalty

Price: $$$

Led by the duck master Chef Dong, Da Dong in Beijing offers a fine-dining Peking duck experience fit for royalty. Using 22-day-old birds, they've modernised the traditional recipe with a special roasting technique that removes much of the fat, resulting in a “superlean” duck with crackly skin that shatters like glass. We highly recommend adding the black caviar to pair with the duck skin. The silky, briny roe and ultra-crispy duck skin are a match made in heaven.

Served alongside the duck are paper-thin pancakes and a wide variety of condiments: cucumber, scallions, sweet sauce, pickled vegetables, melon slices and minced garlic. It’s an explosion of flavours in every bite.

If you are doing a 24 Hour stopover in Beijing and you only have time for one Peking duck meal, this is one of the best spots to feast.

Location: Da Dong | 大董
Address: 88 Jinbao Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing | 北京市东城区金宝街88号金宝汇购物中心5楼
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Discover these stellar Peking duck spots up close in our “Best Peking Duck in Beijing” episode of Hawker Style, our original video series exploring food from across the globe. Looking to explore more of Beijing? Check out our guide on the Top 30 Things to do in Beijing, and find out how to make the most of your time in China’s capital city.

CREDITS

Director & Writer: Vikash Autar
Cinematographer: James Gilligan
Editor: Michael Thompson & James Gilligan
Production Assistant: Chelsea Li
Presenter: J Lou
Production Company: Culture Kid Films
Story Writer: Beverly Ngai

Where to eat the best Peking Duck in Beijing - a guide for every budget

Jingzun Peking Duck: Budget-friendly Pick