Number 1 Chinese Restaurant in Baltimore: Cantonese Roasted Meats and Hand-Pulled Noodles in Fells Point
Number 1 is a counter-service Cantonese restaurant in Fells Point that specializes in roasted duck, chicken, and pork served over rice or noodles, with house-made egg noodles and wonton soup as anchors. The operation runs small, seating about 30 across a narrow dining room with a visible kitchen, and draws steadily from the neighborhood lunch crowd and visitors to the surrounding antique shops and bars.
What Number 1 actually is
The restaurant operates as a traditional Hong Kong-style roasted-meat shop with a limited but focused menu. Order at a counter, receive a number, and eat at shared tables or in the small side booth. The kitchen roasts birds and pork daily using a hanging-oven system visible from the dining area. Most plates arrive within 10 minutes. This is not a full-service dim sum parlor or a banquet house; it is a lunch-and-dinner spot built on repetition and speed.
Signature dishes and pricing
The three-meat plate (roasted duck, chicken, and pork over rice) costs $16.95 and lets you taste the house's core skill in one order. Duck alone runs $14.95 over rice and is the strongest single dish: the skin crackles, the meat stays moist, and the fat is rendered clean. Wonton noodle soup ($9.95 for a full bowl) features hand-pulled noodles with a thin, clear broth and five or six dumplings that show careful folding. Chow mein with roasted pork ($11.95) and egg noodles with gravy ($10.95) round out the noodle section. Sides of bok choy and broccoli with oyster sauce run $6 to $7. A plate of plain rice is $1. Prices have remained stable for at least two years; confirm current pricing by phone before ordering large quantities.
How it compares to other Baltimore Chinese restaurants
Faidley's Seafood, a block away, serves Cantonese-style seafood and roasted meats but runs as a full-service sit-down restaurant with table service and a broader menu, making it slower and costlier for the same roasted duck. Choose Number 1 for a quick lunch or cheap dinner; choose Faidley's if you want a full meal experience and do not mind waiting 20 minutes. Lao Bei in Canton offers similar roasted meats and hand-pulled noodles but sits farther east and carries more regional Sichuan options if spice is your priority. Jade in Canton serves dim sum carts during lunch, a format Number 1 does not offer.
Who it suits and who it does not
Number 1 works best for people hungry in the middle of a weekday or evening, comfortable eating quickly at a shared table, and drawn to single-item mastery. It does not suit parties larger than five or anyone wanting table service, wine, or a dessert menu. Vegetarians will find bok choy and a few noodle dishes but little protein beyond that.
What the first visit involves
Walk in, step to the counter, and scan the laminated menu posted above. A server will hand you an order pad and point to the roasted meats hanging in the window. Decide between rice, noodle soup, or chow mein as your base, pick your protein, and name any sides. Sit immediately and water is not offered but tap water is available. Plates arrive as quickly as they are plated. Eat, pay cash or card at the register, and leave within 20 to 30 minutes. No tip jar visible; tipping is not expected but a card reader at the register allows it.
Hours, parking, and access
Number 1 opens at 11 a.m. for lunch and closes at 9 p.m. on weekdays, staying open until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and closing at 9 p.m. on Sunday. Street parking is tight on Thames Street during midday; the Fells Point parking lot two blocks north offers paid spots at roughly $2 per hour. The restaurant sits on the ground floor with a single step at entry and is wheelchair accessible once inside. Phone the restaurant directly to confirm current hours before visiting on a holiday.
Why it matters
Baltimore's Chinese dining splits between large banquet halls, dim sum parlors, and scattered neighborhood spots. Number 1 fills a specific gap: people who want expert roasted duck and hand-pulled noodles without ceremony, noise, or a 90-minute wait. For that narrow but real need, it has no real rival in Fells Point.
