While New Orleans celebrates Mardi Gras, Chicago has its own gluttonous Fat Tuesday holiday — Pączki Day.
Pączki Day marks the last day before the Lenten season begins for Christians. Because Lent is meant to be a time of fasting and prayer, many people spend the day before gorging themselves on, well, pączki (POONCH-key).
This year, Pączki Day falls on March 4.
The Polish fried dough treats are similar to jelly doughnuts, but they’re not jelly doughnuts — they’re pączki. Unlike doughnuts, pączki dough is richer, and contains a bit of Polish vodka or other spirits. The treats are typically topped with either powdered sugar or glaze, and they’re filled with flavored cream, custard or jelly. Traditional flavors include wild rose jelly, raspberry and custard, but some shops serve inventive modern flavors like Irish whiskey and chocolate custard.
Here are some of the bakeries across Chicago that will be frying up the Polish pastries on Tuesday. All of these spots sell the treats on Pczki Day — but get there early or call and order ahead if you want to be sure you get one.
Chicago bakeries to get paczki on Paczki Day
- Alliance Bakery & Cafe, West Town, 1837 W. Grand Ave.
Walk-ins welcome at the Grand Ave. location, must order ahead for Division location. - Ann’s Bakery, Ukrainian Village, 2158 W. Chicago Ave.
- Delightful Pastries, Jefferson Park, 5927 W. Lawrence Ave.
Paczki available day-of, order ahead for a dozen. - Gene’s Sausage Shop, Lincoln Square, 4750 N. Lincoln Ave.
Paczki available day of, order ahead for over a dozen. - Ideal Bakery, Elk Grove Village, 1250 Pratt Blvd.
- Laramie Bakery & Deli, Belmont Cragin, 3012 N. Laramie Ave.
- Montrose Deli, Dunning, 6601 W. Irving Park Rd.
- Montrose Deli, Portage Park, 5411 W. Montrose Ave.
- Roeser’s Bakery, Humboldt Park, 3216 W. North Ave.
- Bennison’s Bakery, Evanston, 1000 Davis St.
- Kolatek’s Bakery, Montclare, 2445 N. Harlem Ave.
- Racine Bakery, Garfield Ridge, 6216 S. Archer Ave.
- Scafuri Bakery, Little Italy, 1337 W. Taylor St.
- Kasia’s Deli, West Town, 2101 W. Chicago Ave.
Preorder online. - Kurowski Sausage Shop, Avondale, 2976 N. Milwaukee Ave.
- Weber’s Bakery, Garfield Ridge, 7055 W. Archer Ave.