Where To Find Paczki In Chicago's Western Suburbs

OAK PARK, IL — No matter how you pronouce paczki, there's no doubt these traditional Fat Tuesday "donuts" are worth the annual hype. A beloved import from Poland, paczki were brought to the region by Polish immigrants who came to Chicago. Every Fat Tuesday, bakeries in Chicagoland are flooded with orders and packed with people searching for the often elusive pastries that come filled with cream, chocolate, fruit, and more.

For the record, the closest pronunciation to the original Polish is "poonch-key" or "pon-ch-key."

Many bakeries that serve paczki take orders well ahead of Fat Tuesday, but you can also find paczki if you head to some bakeries bright and early on Feb. 13. Most open as early as 6 a.m. and run out of paczki fairly early in the day, so it's best to head out as early as you can.

If you miss your chance to grab a fresh paczki at a bakery, you can get paczki in a pinch at many local grocery stores, including Jewel-Osco, Standard Market, Casey's Foods, Shop 'N Save, and more.

DeEtta's Bakery, 428 W. 5th Ave., Naperville 630-548-4078

DeEtta's is a local favorite for paczki on Fat Tuesday, so you may want to call ahead to make sure all the paczki haven't been snatched up yet!

DRM European Café and Delicatessen, 610 E. Main St., St. Charles

DRM Opens up at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, so get there early to secure a spot in line. Plan your paczki purchase ahead by checking out the paczki menu ahead of time. There are more than a dozen flavors, including nutella, peanut butter and jelly, and stuffed caramel apple and cream cheese.

Harner's Bakery, 10 W State St. North Aurora

Harner's uses real custard to make their paczki, which come in a variety of delicious flavors, including strawberry rhubarb, cream cheese topped with chocolate, and raspberry rolled in sugar.

The Lilac Bakery, 348 S. Main St., Lombard 630-627-1310

Get in line before Lilac Bakery opens at 6 a.m. for a chance to try one of their paczki. These super-sweet treats come generously dusted in powdered sugar and stuffed with raspberries, apples, and strawberries.

Kay's Bakery, 904 S. Oak Park Ave., Forest Park (708) 366-3669

Kay's opens up at 6 a.m. to serve up their coveted paczki. They'll be available Monday and Tuesday. Some of they're popular flavors are strawberry and Bavarian Cream.

Oak Park Bakery, 904 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, (708) 383-1712

The paczki at Oak Park Bakery are billed as the "best paczki outside of Poland." Get there when they open their doors at 5 a.m. on tuesday to guarantee your chance at paczki heaven.

If you miss out on paczki and you're feeling ambitious, try to make them at home:

Sylvia's, 8117 Cass Ave., Darien

Sylvia's offers a wide selection of paczki, including poppyseed, chocolate custard and pineapple. They took orders ahead of time, so hurry in before they run out of the coveted treats.

>>Image via YouTube, Ania's Kitchen