Food Fight: pączki picks

There are so many reasons to love Chicago, but a biggie is our celebration of two Pączki Days!

• One happens on Fat Tuesday (next week) but another follows traditional Polish practice and falls on the preceding Thursday (today).
• So on this "first" Pączki Day of 2022, we're throwing down our favorite versions of these filled doughnuts.

Monica's pick: After visiting the kitchen of Delightful Pastries in Jefferson Park years ago, I fell in love with Dobra Bielinski's light, delicious pączki.

• Her barely sweet dough is as delectable as fillings that include fruit and custard, but also vodka and vanilla bean, German chocolate, and moonshine with lemon ($4.59).
• My all-time favorite, though, is the strawberries and cream — a perfect dessert any time of year.
• The bakery may have already closed out Tuesday pączki orders, so it's good they make some for walk-ins the rest of the year.

Justin's pick: Fat Tuesday gives me an excuse to travel down Archer Avenue to the Bridgeport Bakery, now called Bridgeport Bakery 2.0.

• You can walk in and get pączki starting this weekend, but I ordered ahead and went with the classics: strawberry, pineapple, lemon, buttercream, chocolate, and, of course, cherry ($2.09).
• Yes, I ate them all. You may celebrate Fat Tuesday, but I celebrate Fat Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Fat Weekend.

📫 Email [email protected] with your recommendations for a story we will run Monday, giving everyone a chance to get their orders in for next Tuesday.