Beijing Duck has the reputation of being the most delicious food Beijing has to offer. Some find it a bit too greasy, but others get hooked after one taste. In any case, a Beijing Duck dinner is usually a fixed item on any Beijing tour itinerary. Eating Beijing Duck is also one of the two things you are absolutely supposed to do while in Beijing. The other one is climbing the Great Wall.

The place that offers the best Beijing Duck is the Quan Ju De Restaurant, which has outlets at Qianmen, Hepingmen and Wangfujing. It was established 130 years ago and, if you count from the time when founder Yang Renquan began his duck business, it is 160 years old.

At Quan Ju De, ducks are immersed in condiments unique to the restaurant and are roasted directly over flames stoked by fruit-tree wood. The best roasted duck is date-red, shining with oil, but with a crisp skin and tender meat.

The chef then cuts the meat into thin slices, each having a piece of skin. Then the meat is served with very thin pancakes, Chinese onions and special sauce. The way to eat it is to coat the thin pancake with sauce, slap on a few pieces of meat and roll up the pancake. Chopsticks are optional: it is much easier just to grab the thing with your bare hands.

Another famous restaurant offering Beijing duck is the Bian Yi Fang (Cheap Restaurant), which opened in 1855, nine years earlier than Quan Ju De. At Bian Yi Fang, roasting is done in an enclosed container fueled with crop stalks.

There are now hundreds of restaurants serving Beijing Duck all over the city. Most of these restaurants offer ducks for 38 Yuan a piece, cheaper than that at the larger places.

Restaurants of Beijing Roast Duck

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (Asian Games Village Branch)

Average cost per person: 100 Yuan - 200 Yuan

Location: 1/F to 3/F, Unit A, Tianchuang Shiyuan Dasha, 309, Huizhong Bei Li, Chaoyang District

Hours: 11:00-13:30 16:30-20:00

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (Wangfujing Branch)

Average cost per person: 50 Yuan - 150 Yuan

Location: 9, Shuaifuyuan Hutong, Wangfujing Da Jie, Dongcheng District

Hours: 11:00-13:30 16:30-20:00

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (Hepingmen Branch)

Average cost per person: 100 Yuan - 150 Yuan

Location: 14, Xi Da Jie, Qianmen, Xuanwu District

Hours: 11:00 - 14:00 17:00 - 21:00

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (Qianmen Branch)

Average cost per person: 100 Yuan - 150 Yuan

Location: 32, Qianmen Da Jie

Hours: 11:00 - 14:00 17:00 - 21:00

Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant

Average cost per person: about 100 Yuan

Location: Bldg. 3, Tuanjie Lake, Chaoyang District

Hours: 11:00 - 22:00

Bianyifang Roast Duck Restaurant (Anhua Branch)

Average cost per person: 50 Yuan - 80 Yuan

Location: 6, Bei Sanhuan Zhong Lu, Chaoyang District

Hours: 11:00-14:00 15:00-21:00

Xiangmanlou Restaurant

Average cost per person: about 50 Yuan

Location: 18, Xinyuan Xi Li Zhong Jie, Chaoyang District

Hours: 11:00 - 16:00 17:00 - 22:30

Duck King Roast Duck Restaurant (Xindadu Hotel Branch)

Average cost per person: 50 Yuan - 100 Yuan

Location: 21, Chegongzhuang Jie, Xicheng District

Hours: 10:00 - 22:00