Fat Tuesday falls on March 4 this year, but in Chicago, it’s better known as Paczki Day—a time to indulge in the city’s favorite Polish treat!
Paczki Day, named after the doughnut-like pastries stuffed with different flavored filling, marks the beginning of the Lenten season in Chicago.
The holiday has been a Windy City tradition since the early 20th century, introduced by our city’s sprawling Polish population.
Now every year on Fat Tuesday, Chicagoans line up at their favorite bakery for a last-hurrah treat before the start of Lent.
We recommend ordering ahead because the traditional pastry sells out fast. You can find paczkis at just about every bakery in Chicago this Fat Tuesday, but we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite places to start:
1. Alliance Bakery
The Wicker Park pastry shop is serving up stuffed pastries this year. With inventive flavors like rose or apple cinnamon, feel free to place your order online beforehand as they’re offering both pickup and delivery. Address: 1736 W Division St.
2. Roeser’s Bakery
Unsure of what Paczki flavor to pick? At Roeser’s Bakeryin Humboldt Park you can choose from more than a dozen different flavors!
Sample fresh fruit varieties like cherry and pineapple, or opt for indulgent cream flavors like caramel or chocolate custard.
📍Address: 3216 W. North Ave. Chicago, IL 60647
3. Weber’s Bakery
Weber’s, one of Chicago’s oldest family-owned bakeries, draws lines out the door each year for its beloved paczki.
The bakery offers a long list of creative and classic flavors like custard with chocolate topping, raspberry jelly, and strawberries + whipped cream.
For a boozy treat, try one of Weber’s drunken paczki in three flavor combos.
4. Schlegl’s Bakery
If you’re up for a drive just outside the city, Schlegl’s Bakery in Lincolnwood is well worth the trip this Paczki Day!
Schlegl’s offers a long list of paczki flavors, from blueberry jam to Bavarian cream. Whatever your preference, the bakery has the perfect paczki for you!
📍Address: 3915 W Touhy Ave., Lincolnwood
5. Central Continental Bakery
Central Continental Bakery in Mount Prospect is a paczki paradise just outside Chicago! The bakery is whipping up huge batches of paczki in dozens of different flavors.
Choose from traditional flavors like sweet cream cheese and strawberry, or opt for a gourmet flavor like banana custard or birthday cake.
Additionally, Central Continental is offering a special St. Paddy’s day paczki featuring festive green mint cream and chocolate chips.
5. Kolatek’s Bakery & Deli
They sell a variety of both traditional and adventurous flavors like rum raisin, caramel bacon, hot chili chocolate, and limoncello!
📍Address: 2445 N. Harlem Ave.
6. Delightful Pastries
They sell paczkis year-round and offer an assortment of paczki in both regular and gourmet flavors, including everything from chocolate to boozy fillings! Make sure you have your order in before the day because they’re sure to sell out!
📍Address:
7. Bennison’s Bakery
The Evanston bakery has been around since 1938, serving up delightful packed paczki’s just outside of the city. They’re available for walk-in orders or if you want, order online 24 hours in advance to ensure a box of the fabulous baked goods.
📍Address: 1000 Davis St. Evanston
8. Bittersweet Pastry Shop
If you can’t decide what flavor to go for, opt for a prearranged box! Each order, by chef Judy Contino, includes a half dozen packs of doughnuts that include three vanilla creams and three sour cherry jams. They’re available for pre-order until February 21st.
📍Address: 1114 W Belmont Ave.
9. Stan’s Donuts
Stan’s Donuts is your one-stop shop this Fat Tuesday for delicious Paczki. Stan’s is offering the Polish pastries in five delectable flavors:
- Cannoli
- Raspberry
- Pastry Cream
- Chocolate Pastry Cream
- Strawberry
Chicagoans can enjoy a single pastry for $3.75, a half dozen for $20, or a dozen $38.95.
📍Address: Various locations