Nanjing Salted Duck
Nan Jing, Jiangsu
Nanjing's signature dish — duck brined, air-dried, and gently poached rather than roasted, served cold in thin slices with a delicate, savory flavour very different from Beijing's roast duck.
Why visit Nanjing Salted Duck?
Nanjing has built an entire local cuisine around duck — beyond the salted duck itself, duck-blood vermicelli soup and other duck-based dishes fill the city's menus. The salted duck method is centuries old and specifically associated with the city, to the point that 'Nanjing salted duck' is a protected regional product name.
How to experience it
Order it as a cold starter at any proper Nanjing restaurant, usually sold by weight and sliced to order. Pairing it with duck-blood vermicelli soup as a second course is the classic local combination and worth doing at least once.
Tip
The best versions come from specialist duck shops rather than general restaurants — look for a shop with whole ducks hanging or displayed and a queue of locals buying takeaway.