One of the best days on the calendar has finally arrived, as Fat Tuesday - also called Paczki Day - gives Chicago-area residents the chance to indulge in the iconic sweet, deep-fried Polish treat.
Paczki are made with rich flour plus some alcohol, and typically filled with jam, chocolate or fruit before being topped with sugar or icing. While they're similar to doughnuts, some bakers say you may want to avoid calling them that.
If you're looking to plan your Fat Tuesday ahead of time and already know you'll be in the mood for some sweets, there are plenty of places you can go to grab paczki:
Here are just some of them:
Bakeries, Donut Shops and Restaurants
- Beck's Crown Bakery, Crown Point, Indiana
- Bennison's Bakery, Evanston
- Beth's Little Bake Shop, 1814 Central Street, Evanston
- Bridgeport Bakery 2.0, 2907 S. Archer Ave.
- Deerfields Bakery, 813 Waukegan Road
- DeEtta's Bakery, Naperville
- Delightful Pastries, 5927 W. Lawrence Ave.
- Donut Den, Joliet
- Do-Rite Donuts, multiple locations at 1027 W. Addison St., 835 N. Michigan Ave., 181 N. Morgan St., 233 E. Erie St. and 50 W. Randolph St.
- Firecakes Donuts, multiple locations including 68 W. Hubbard St., 2453 N. Clark St. and 205 W. Wacker Dr.
- Herbs Bakery - Elgin
- Kolatek's Bakery - 2445 N. Harlem Ave. and in Palatine
- Gurnee Donuts, 4949 Grand Ave., Gurnee
- Harner's Bakery, North Aurora
- Henze's Bakery, Valparaiso, Indiana
- Huck Finn Restaurants, Oak Lawn, South Archer and South Pulaski
- Fleckenstein's Bakery, Mokena and New Lenox
- Kirsten’s Danish Bakery, Burr Ridge
- Kuppie's Bakery, Villa Park
- Munster Donut, 8314 Calumet Ave.,
- Oak Park Bakery, 904 S. Oak Park Ave.
- "Original" Ferrara Bakery, 2210 W. Taylor St.
- Orland Park Bakery, 14850 S. LaGrange Rd., Orland Park
- Palermo Bakery, Norridge
- Racine Bakery, 6216 S. Archer Ave.
- Roeser's Bakery, 3216 W. North Ave.
- Smack Dab Chicago, 6730 North Clark Street
- Stan's Donuts, multiple locations including 1560 N. Damen Ave., 28 E. Roosevelt Rd., 2800 N. Clark St. and 259 E. Erie St.
- Toni Patisserie and Café, Hinsdale and Loop locations
- Vanille Patisserie, Lincoln Park and West Loop Gate
- Weber's Bakery, 7055 W. Archer Ave.
- Wolf's Bakery, Evergreen Park
Grocery Stores
- Angelo Caputo's Fresh Markets
- Jewel
- Mariano's
- Pete's Fresh Market
- Tony's Fresh Market
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