We’re just about a week away from the beginning of Lent, but some of Pittsburgh’s best bakeries are already selling (and selling out of) pączki, the ever-popular Polish doughnut.
Although they’re traditionally eaten on Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek), pączki are now a big Fat Tuesday food, with revelers across Pittsburgh indulging before the Lenten season starts.
It’s relatively easy to find pączki in the city, as long as you know where to look. Below, we’ve outlined a few of our favorite spots for pączki in Pittsburgh.
Oh, and for the record, after watching several pronunciations videos, I believe a phonetic spelling pączki looks like this: pown-chkey.
That is, of course, if you’re talking about two to four donuts. A singular donut is pown-check. And if you want more than five… well it gets a little more complicated. But as long as you get pown-chkey down pat, you should have no trouble ordering!
The Best Spots for Pączki in Pittsburgh
Party Cake Shop
Brookline
If you’re looking for the best of the best, you’ve come to the right spot. The pączki found at Party Cake Shop are some of the most popular ones in Pittsburgh, with customers anticipating them all year long – and selling thousands every year. But, you’ve got to hurry, because they’re only available for a limited time (every weekend, from now through Fat Tuesday), and they’ve been selling out. Party Cake Shop’s pączki include plain, vanilla custard, lemon, apricot, buttercream, chocolate buttercream, raspberry jelly, or prune. Call ahead at 412-531-5322 to place an order. Party Cake Shop (706 Brookline Blvd)
Potomac Bakery
Dormont & Mt. Lebanon
The pączki at Potomac Bakery is available daily now through Fat Tuesday, at both their Dormont location (1419 Potomac Avenue), and their Mt. Lebanon location (300 Mt. Lebanon Blvd. #21). Each pączki is $2.50, and flavors include blueberry, lemon, chocolate, apple, buttercream, custard and raspberry. Potomac Bakery
Oakmont Bakery
Oakmont
For many Pittsburghers, the year at Oakmont Bakery revolves around pączki season! Starting in January, and running through Easter, the glass cases at Oakmont are filled with hundreds (and hundreds!) of these Polish donuts. Stop by their Oakmont storefront to pick up a few options from their plethora of flavors, including: coconut, maple bacon, apple, blueberry, cherry, cookies n’ cream, custard, lemon, Oakmont cream (chocolate cream), peach, Pittsburgh cream, plain, raspberry, prune, peanut butter, and their Steelers-inspired ‘Blitz-ki pączki.’ You can also order six-packs online. Oakmont Bakery (1 Sweet Street, Oakmont)
Bethel Bakery
Bethel Park & North Strabane
The super-stuffed pączki at Bethel Bakery are currently on the menu, with new special flavors popping up throughout the season. You can find Bavarian cream, buttercream, chocolate buttercream, S’mores, raspberry and glazed (unfilled) pączki right now, and Buckeye (peanut butter and chocolate), lemon, Cookies & Cream, fresh strawberry, and Irish Cream options will be available soon. Bethel Bakery (multiple locations)
Kretchmar’s Bakery
Beaver
Kretchmar’s Bakery in Beaver line up for pączki (available Fridays and Saturdays from now until Easter, and on Fat Tuesday). Available flavors include apple, cherry, and Bavarian cream with apricot, blueberry, chocolate, lemon, peanut butter, raspberry, strawberry or vanilla. Call 724-774-2324 to place an order for pickup, and walk-in orders are also available. Kretchmar’s Bakery (664 Third Street, Beaver).
Prantl’s Bakery
Multiple Locations
Customers can order pączki from Prantl’s online and over the phone at 724-837-3706. Flavor options include apricot, chocolate, buttercream, pastry cream, lemon and raspberry, with either a glazed or powdered sugar topping. Six-packs are available for $16.99 (individual pączki are $2.99) at all Prantl’s locations (including Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Northside, Greensburg and North Huntingdon) on Thursdays through Sundays. Prantl’s Bakery
S&D Polish Deli
Strip District
It makes sense that the popular Pittsburgh Polish deli, S&D, would be a great place to snag some pączki before Lent. Flavors include: Rosehip, Lekvar (Plum Butter), Vanilla Buttercream, and Chocolate Buttercream. They’re available for purchase in-store, and online. S&D Polish Deli (2204 Penn Avenue)
Giant Eagle
Multiple Locations
A quick and easy place to get your hands on some Paczki is Giant Eagle! In the weeks leading up to Lent, Giant Eagle offers seasonal treats, including pączki and King Cake. Both are available at Giant Eagle locations through the beginning of Lent. Giant Eagle
Know of any other places to find pączki in Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments!
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