10 Best Places in Chicago for a Delicious Pączki For Fat TuesdayBrian Lendinoon February 23, 2022 at 3:02 pm

Polish culture has a profound place in Chicago’s history and the delights of its cuisine are found abundant. The pączki is perhaps the most popular and Chicagoland bakeries expect to sell thousands and thousands of them this Fat Tuesday.

A pączki is essentially a donut, filled with something sweet such as chocolate or fruit or custard and topped with icing or sugar. So just like a normal donut except for the fact that there’s a bit of alcohol and a very rich flour. They’re also a fan favorite every February as Chicago celebrates their iteration of Mardi Gras. You know we love a good guide so we’ve honed in on our 10 favorite spots around Chicago for the best pączki this year. Note, between COVID-19 restrictions and the snow-pocalypse of this past 24 hours, you may need to utilize your favorite delivery service or cross your fingers one of these is right around your corner for your pączki this year.

Image Credit: West Town Bakery

selected locations

West Town Bakery is offering three flavors this year: raspberry, vanilla and chocolate mousse – priced at $4.95 a piece. The paczkis will be available on Tuesday, March 1 at the following West Town Bakery’s locations:

West Town (1916 W. Chicago Avenue)
Wrigleyville (3626 N. Clark Street)
Financial District (190 S. LaSalle Street).

For those wanting to avoid lines, West Town Bakery is taking online pre-orders through tomorrow, February 24 at 12 p.m.! Find photos of West Town Bakery’s paczkis here.

Indulge in your inner sweet tooth this Fat Tuesday with Paczki offerings from your favorite Chicago breakfast destination. Available in all 16 locations in the Chicagoland area, Stan’s Donuts & Coffee are offering four Pazcki offerings to please chocolate and fruit lovers all over the city. Guests can choose from Vanilla Pastry Cream, Chocolate Pastry Cream, Cannoli Cream and Cherry Paczkis. Stop in to your nearest Stan’s from February 26 through March 1 to pick up your favorites or order online here.

3329 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

5442 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60630

Online | Pick up at 4650 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

6006 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60634

2445 N Harlem Ave, Chicago, IL 60707

1124 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

5523 S Narragansett Ave, Chicago, IL 60638

5450 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60630

5927 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60630

2907 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60608

For a fully encompassing list of all of the places to grab a pączki in Chicago this year, you can utilize this guide put together by Block Club Chicago. They have also put together a how-to guide on making your own pączki at home if you want to put your own spin on the Polish delicacy. And be sure to snap a picture of your pączki this year and send it to us at @urbanmatterchicago on Instagram! We’ll share your post for the festivities this year!

Pączki Featured Image Credit: Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

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