While many people know the day before Ash Wednesday as Fat Tuesday, it’s also a Polish-American tradition called Paczki Day, pronounced: “poinch-key.” Few know that paczki is the plural form of the word, with paczek (“poinch-eck”) being singular. During the Middle Ages, Polish families used food in their pantries the day before Lent to prevent spoiling during their 40-day fast. Many of those ingredients included eggs, butter, sugar, and fruit, all of which were combined to make doughnuts.
Today, that tradition has expanded across the U.S. as people, even outside of Polish families, partake in this celebration by lining up outside bakeries the morning of Paczki Day. Here are five places in Chicago that bake and sell traditional Polish paczki.
Want a shopping tip? Avoid the long lines by going to bakeries before Tuesday.
Familiar Bakery
Paczki comes in a $27 box of six with flavors that include blueberry chamomile, raspberry rose, coconut cream + macadamia buttercrunch, chili cinnamon chocolate cream, Persian spiced apple butter, and passionfruit black pepper.
- Ordering: Pre-order online for pickup or request delivery
- Contact: info@familiarbakery.com
- Location: From Here On (433 W. Van Buren St.) or Revival Food Hall (125 S. Clark St.)
- Website: familiarbakery.com
Roeser’s Bakery
Choose from a variety of paczki flavors like chocolate-covered, strawberry-filled, powdered sugar, and more.
- Ordering: Call to pre-order or come into the bakery
- Contact: (773) 489-6900
- Location: 3216 W. North Ave.
- Website: roeserscakes.com
Stan’s Donuts & Coffee has plenty of locations across Chicago to grab paczki. | Photo by @stansdonutschicago
Stan’s Donuts & Coffee
Only available through Tues., Feb. 21. Choose from four flavors: cannoli, cherry, pastry cream, and chocolate cream. The selection ranges from individually priced paczki for $3.55 or all the way up to two dozen for $75.05.
- Ordering: Order online for local delivery or pickup
- Contact: Varies by location
- Locations: Multiple
- Website: stansdonuts.com
Cafe Selmarie
Place orders by Fri., Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. (unless they sell out sooner) to purchase a box of four paczki from Bennison’s Bakery that includes flavors like lemon curd, apricot jam, raspberry jam, cheese, custard with chocolate, fresh strawberry and whipped cream, fresh banana cream, and praline chocolate mousse. A small amount of paczki will be available in the bakery on Tues., Feb. 21. Prices range from $3.25 to $4.40 for each pastry.
- Ordering: Call or place order for pickup online (no delivery for paczki)
- Phone: (773) 989-5595
- Location: 4729 N. Lincoln Ave.
- Website: toasttab.com
Smack Dab
Paczki comes in boxes of six for $16.25, with two of each flavor, including raspberry lemon curd, chocolate and vanilla pastry cream. Boxes of three are $8.25 and will only include one flavor for all. These popular doughnuts are expected to sell out and may not be available for walk-ins on Tues., Feb. 21.
- Ordering: Prepay and order online for pickup
- Phone: (872) 241-9111
- Location: 6730 N. Clark St.
- Website: exploretock.com
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(1) comment
Very excited to taste some of these especially on Mardi Gras!
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