The Polish tradition of enjoying paczki the Thursday or Tuesday before Ash Wednesday began as a way to use eggs, sugar, fruit and lard ahead of the Lenten fast. Immigrants brought the practice with them to Chicago, where bakeries have been celebrating Paczki Day for more than a century by serving classic versions of the fluffy fried doughnuts filled with prune or poppy seeds.
The practice has evolved and been embraced by more places over time, so now you can also indulge in novel preparations stuffed with Nutella or guava, vegan versions, and savory preparations turned into breakfast sandwiches. You can even learn to make your own paczki, compete in a paczki eating contest or try a beer inspired by the pastry. Just be sure to plan ahead and preorder your favorites as many of these 22 spots will sell out on Feb. 13.
Some bakeries are also celebrating Mardi Gras by offering king cake. Check out our Fat Tuesday guide for a full list of New Orleans-style celebrations.
The Loop and Near North Side
Canal Street Market
Stop into the West Loop spot for Boston cream pie or raspberry paczki. 314 S. Canal St., 312-967-6060, canalstreetchicago.com
North Side & Northwest Side
Smack Dab Chicago
Be sure to place an order for pistachio cream, apricot jam and pomegranate lemon curd paczki ($2.90) to pick up Feb. 12-13 as the ones made for walk-ins sold out within 30 minutes last year. 6730 N. Clark St., 872-241-9111, smackdabchicago.com
West Side & Near West Side
Alliance Bakery
The Wicker Park bakery offers six varieties of paczki Feb. 8-13 including vanilla bean ganache ($4.95), blueberry lemon ($4.50) and raspberry rose ($4.50). 1736 W. Division St., 773-278-0366, alliancebakery.com
Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar
Start the day with a paczki sandwich featuring bacon, egg, cheese and spicy aioli ($12) or one of nine varieties of paczki including vegan strawberry jam dusted with powdered sugar, java chip topped with chocolate and pimento cheese ($5 each). Place an order by 9 p.m. Feb. 12 to pick up a half dozen ($30) or dozen ($55) from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. 2700 W. Chicago Ave., 773-661-9577, heritage-chicago.com
Pierogi Kitchen
The new Polish restaurant serves glazed paczki filled with rose marmalade and candied orange peel ($5). 1856 W. North Ave., pierogikitchenchicago.com
Roeser’s Bakery
Open at the same location since 1911, Roeser’s offers two dozen types of paczki including guava, caramel custard, prune and Nutella. King cake is also available. 3216 W. North Ave., 773-489-6900, roeserscakes.com
South Side & Near South Side
Bridgeport Bakery 2.0
Grab 20 varieties of the pastry including fresh-cut strawberries with powdered sugar, apple, poppyseed and chocolate buttercream ($2.25-$3.79) or pick up an assortment of a dozen paczki for $29. With Valentine’s Day falling the next day, you can even get a heart-shaped paczki for $4.50. 2907 S. Archer Ave., 773-523-1121, bridgeportbakerychicago.com
Delightful Pastries
The Jefferson Park bakery will make more than 40,000 paczki for Fat Tuesday with flavors including plum butter ($3.49), passion fruit jelly ($5.29) and vodka vanilla bean custard ($5.39). You can also learn to make your own at a class taught by Delightful Pastries owner and pastry chef Dobra Bielinski from noon to 2 p.m. Feb. 10. Tickets are $85. 5927 W. Lawrence Ave., 773-545-7215, delightfulpastries.com
Ideal Bakery
The Jefferson Park bakery offers paczki year-round, but you should be sure to order if you want to pick up a dozen or more Fat Thursday or Fat Tuesday. Flavors this year include tiramisu mousse, hazelnut and Oreo cookie ($3.99), though you can also opt for a classic like plum or rose ($1.99). 4765 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-631-6897, idealbakery.net
Marz Community Brewing Co.
The brewery celebrates its Polish heritage with the annual release of a paczki double milk stout made with lactose and cocoa nibs, and this year they’re also launching a raspberry cream puff variant. Running from noon to midnight Feb. 10, the Paczki Fest features paczki from Wiklanski’s Bakery and performances from WICI Song and Dance Theater and the Environmental Encroachment marching band. Tickets are $16 and you can add on a variety pack featuring a raspberry, marmalade, custard and plum butter paczki for $20. 3630 S. Iron St., 773-579-1935, marz.beer
Pticek & Son Bakery
Orders must be placed by Feb. 7 if you want to pick up one of their many types of paczki on Feb. 13 including cheese, almond, buttercream and lemon. 5523 S. Narragansett Ave., 773-585-5500, pticeksbakery.tripod.com More Top Picks Best Cooking Pans
Racine Bakery
Specializing in Polish and Lithuanian fare, Racine Bakery offers 12 flavors of paczki including raspberry, apricot and poppy seed, with some versions available in small or large sizes. Orders must be placed by Feb. 10 to pick up on Fat Tuesday. 6216 S. Archer Ave., 773-581-8500, racinebakery.com
Weber’s Bakery
Lines often reach around the block for Weber’s paczki, which are offered Feb. 8-13. Flavors include custard topped with powdered sugar or chocolate, strawberry buttercream and apple cinnamon ($1.65). The bakery also offers a four-pack of Valentine paczki filled with strawberries and whipped cream with chocolate drizzled on top ($13). 7055 W. Archer Ave., 773-586-1234, webersbakery.com
Suburban and multiple locations
Beatrix
Pick up salted caramel, raspberry and blackberry lemon paczki from Do-Rite Donuts ($4.95) at the pastry counter Feb. 8-13. Multiple locations, beatrixrestaurants.com
Bennison’s Bakery
Expect long lines at the North Shore staple, which offers 12 varieties of paczki through Feb. 17 including apple sprinkled with cinnamon, cream cheese with powdered sugar and sliced pastry stuffed with banana cream. Stuff your face at the 13th annual paczki eating contest on Feb. 10. 1000 Davis St., Evanston, 847-328-9434, bennisonscakes.com
Deerfields Bakery
Deerfields is usually closed on Monday, but they’ll be open on Feb. 12 to give you more time to get your fix of more than 20 flavors including raspberry ($2.75), salted caramel ($2.99) and peanut butter ($3.99). If you’re treating a big group, order a dozen assorted paczki for $34. 201 N. Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove and 813 N. Waukegan Road, Deerfield, 847-520-0068; deerfieldsbakery.com
Firecakes
Pick up malted chocolate, lemon curd, drunken plum and blood orange paczkis ($3.60) Feb. 9-13 or a king cake doughnut stack on Feb. 13 ($17). Multiple locations, firecakesdonuts.com firecakesdonuts.com/paczki-home
Hewn
Hewn’s version of paczki is baked instead of fried and stuffed with chocolate pastry cream. Place an order by 8 p.m. Feb. 10 to pick up an $18 four-pack on Feb. 13. 1733 Central St., Evanston, 847-869-4396; hewnbread.com
New Moon Vegan
Order ahead to pick up a six-pack of vegan raspberry rose, apple cinnamon and custard paczki ($25). 119 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia, newmoonvegan.net
Oak Mill Bakery
Choose from several variety packs such as a gourmet assortment featuring six halved paczki filled with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, sour cherry and cream cheese, or chocolate with raspberry preserves ($30), or a box of 12 traditional Polish flavors such as custard, rose and prune ($47). Orders can be picked up Feb. 8 or 13. Multiple locations, oakmillbakery.com
Stan’s Donuts & Coffee
Start celebrating early with raspberry, chocolate cream, pastry cream and cannoli paczki available through Feb. 13, while the strawberry and cannoli flavors are available until Feb. 27. This year, the bakery has also added a vegan strawberries and cream option. Multiple locations, stansdonuts.com
West Town Bakery
Blueberry lemon, strawberry Nutella and raspberry paczki are all available for $4.95. Multiple locations, westtownbakery.com
Samantha Nelson is a freelance writer.