Paczki Day 2023: Where To Find Them In The Chicago Area

ILLINOIS — Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the day before Ash Wednesday, and it's traditionally a time to let loose and enjoy a few final indulgences before the beginning of Lent. But even if you don't observe Lent, in Illinois, it's also Paczki Day — a big day for local bakeries and your last chance to get your fill of the Polish pastry.

This year, Paczki Day is Tuesday, Feb. 21, and bakeries in Chicago and the suburbs have been taking pre-orders for weeks. While pre-orders are done, you'll still be able to find them at most bakeries by stopping by in person. A word of advice: Lines may be long, so it's always a good idea to call the bakery before heading out to make sure paczki are still in stock.

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Paczki — pronounced "puhnch-kee" — are traditional Polish deep-fried doughnuts and are a once-a-year delicacy, traditionally made by bakers trying to use up all their eggs and lard before Lent begins.

Here's a roundup of some places offering paczki through Tuesday in the Chicago area:

• Bennison's Bakery, 1000 Davis. St. in Evanston. Bennison's offers 11 different types of paczki, including fruit, chocolate and cream cheese fillings, along with King Cakes. Closes at 6 p.m. This year brings the return of the paczki eating contest, which was on a COVID-19 related hiatus, at 2 p.m.
• Beverly Bakery, 10528 S Western Ave., Chicago. Flavors include apricot, blueberry, custard with powdered sugar, custard with chocolate glaze, lemon buttercream, vanilla buttercream, chocolate buttercream, raspberry, strawberry danish filling with glaze, pineapple, prune and fresh strawberry. Also offering King Cakes. Open until 4 p.m. (closed Wednesday for a much-needed day off).
• Creative Cakes Bakery, 16649 Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park. Flavors include atomic, fresh strawberry, bananas Foster, Dutch apple, cinnamon churro, Boston, coconut cream and chocolate peanut butter. Open until 4 p.m.
• Deerfields Bakery, 813 Waukegan Road, Deerfield, and 201 N. Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove. The 22 flavors of paczki at Deerfields include apple, banana cream, birthday cake, Nutella, salted caramel and fresh strawberry. Mardi Gras cookies and King Cakes are also available. Open until 5 p.m.
• DeEtta's Bakery, 428 W. 5th Ave., Naperville. Open til 6 p.m. Flavors include cheese, blueberry, apricot, prune and whipped cream with fresh strawberries.
• Delightful Pastries, 5927 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago. The Jefferson Park bakery has more than a dozen flavors available, including three types of drunken paczki — moonshine with lemon, Jameson Irish whiskey with chocolate custard and Vodka with vanilla bean custard. Closes at 6 p.m.
• Donut Den, 3043 Theodore St., Joliet. They're not taking phone orders, but have plenty of paczki in store. Closes at 4 p.m. Flavors include strawberry, cherry, apple, blueberry, lemon, apricot, custard, cheese, French silk and fresh strawberry.
• Fleckenstein's Bakery, 199255 S. LaGrange Rd., Mokena, and 352 W. Maple, New Lenox. Open until 5 p.m. Tuesday. Pre-ordering has ended, but customers are encouraged to stop in. King Cakes and paczki available on Tuesday; both locations close at 5 p.m.
• Home Cut Donuts, 815 W. Jefferson St. and 1317 E. Washington St. (outlet store) in Joliet. Jefferson Street location open 24 hours. Washington Street open 5 a.m. to noon.
• Jarosch Bakery, 35 S. Arlington Heights Road, Elk Grove Village. Flavors include apple, cheese, custard with chocolate, pineapple, raspberry and strawberry. King Cakes also available. Open until 6 p.m.
• Kirsten's Danish Bakery, 94 Burr Ridge Parkway in Burr Ridge. Open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday. Flavors include chocolate, maple bacon, and Oreo.
• Milano Bakery, 433 S. Chicago St., Joliet. Open 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The bakery, which has been in Joliet since 1915, offers flavors include Bavarian, apple, blueberry, apricot, raspberry and cherry.
• Orland Park Bakery, 14850 S. LaGrange Rd., Orland Park. Pre-orders are ended, but they will be available in store. Flavors include Oreo, strawberry, fudge, custard, strawberry cream cheese, strawberry custard, butter cream, apple, raspberry, cherry, cream cheese, blueberry, cannoli, lemon, apricot, peach, pineapple, prune and more. King Cakes also available. S
• Wolf's Bakery, 3241 W. 95th St., Evergreen Park. Home of the original lemon fluff cake, as well as South Side Irish Soda Bread, now offering paczki, with flavors including strawberry, lemon fluff, cherry, blueberry, vanilla custard, chocolate custard, raspberry, pineapple, cheese, apricot, prune and apple. Open until 6 p.m.

What's your favorite place to get paczki? Tell us in the comments.