Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent, is celebrated in Catholic communities around the world with a variety of traditions. For those of Polish descent, the festivities involve paczki. Pronounced “POONCH-ki,” they’re doughnuts traditionally filled until bursting with jam, cream or custard and topped with powdered sugar.
In Chicago, the home of the largest Polish diaspora community in the United States, Fat Tuesday becomes Paczki Day. Local bakeries and restaurants make the holiday their own by keeping the basic doughnut alive, while also adding new flavors. In 2025, Paczki Day falls on March 4, two days before Chicago celebrates Casimir Pulaski Day, in honor of the Polish-American hero of the Revolutionary War. See where you can get paczki, both traditional and modern, below.
ROESER’S BAKERY
History-Filled Doughnuts: Roeser’s is the oldest continuously family-owned bakery in Chicago, serving Humboldt Park since 1911. Paczki Day is one of its biggest celebrations, with the crew often selling thousands of doughnuts. Its fruity, syrupy paczki, available in more than a dozen flavors, come doused in powdered sugar or icing.
BENNISON’S BAKERY
Sugar on the North Shore: Bennison’s has supplied sweetness to Evanston since 1938. The award-winning bakery offers artisan bread, pretzels, strudel and — obviously — paczki. With classic flavors like apricot, chocolate custard and blueberry and more decadent flavors like praline mousse, banana cream and German chocolate, Bennison’s is a go-to for Paczki Day. Doughnuts are available for preorder online and by appointment until March 8.
VANILLE PATISSERIE
Sticking with Sweet: From the West Loop’s Chicago French Market, Vanille Patisserie is collaborating with Bennison’s to bring sweetness to the forefront. Beyond the typical croissants, macarons and American baked goods, Vanille will offer paczki filled with apple, custard, lemon curd or raspberry for $5.50 each.
DAISIES
Pastry Chef-Approved: Daisies’ lauded pastry chef Leigh Omilinsky created two flavors for the Logan Square restaurant. Daisies, which scored a Michelin Green Star last year for sustainable business practices, will offer pillowy paczki filled with vanilla cream or strawberry jam. Doughnuts are sold by the half-dozen for $24; pickup is available March 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WURST BEHAVIOR and PIEROGI KITCHEN
Double the Doughnuts: Wurst Behavior, a sausage house and beer garden in Irving Park, and Pierogi Kitchen, a Polish restaurant in Wicker Park, combined forces this year to celebrate the city’s Polish heritage. The two restaurants will serve paczki by restaurateurs Gosia Pieniazek and Art Wnorowski — and Wnorowski’s mother. Available from March 1 to 9, options include a rose filling with candied orange and Dubai chocolate with pistachios for $3.95 each.
HERITAGE RESTAURANT & CAVIAR BAR
Fusion Flavors: Located in West Town, the Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar boasts house-made paczki, available as sweet, savory, vegan or gluten-free. In the spirit of the restaurant’s mission — to highlight the cuisine of immigrants who built Chicago — the doughnuts play with different flavor profiles, including kimchi, tiramisu and black sesame coconut. Pickup for preorders is available March 4 from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
FIRECAKES
Tradition with a Twist: With locations in River North, Lincoln Park and Oak Park, Firecakes is known for its bold, inventive doughnuts. Paczki Day will be no different. Firecakes’ has paczki in malted chocolate, cherry with raspberry sugar, boozy apple plum jam and lemon curd. They’re all available until March 5 for $3.75 each.
