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In Metro Detroit, Fat Tuesday isn’t just another day (March 4th this year); it’s a celebration of pączki—a Polish treat filled with tradition and flavor. These pillowy pastries symbolize indulgence before the Lenten season, and local bakeries pull out all the stops to craft the best pączki in town. From classic fruit-filled to creative flavors, here’s your guide to the area’s top spots to satisfy your craving…
TRINGALI’S BAKERY
29100 Schoenherr Road, Warren
Celebrating the Italian take on pączki, Tringali’s Bakery brings a unique twist to the Polish treat. Specialty pączki options include cappuccino cream and cannoli cream-filled flavors. In addition, more traditional fillings include fruit like strawberry, raspberry, lemon, apple, and blueberry, as well as custard, buttercream, and chocolate custard choices. A household name for many, Tringali’s Bakery is known for its delicious Italian treats, and the pączki are an inclusion on the menu. Already available, Tringali’s isn’t making you wait for Fat Tuesday to get your fix.
PIETRZYK PIEROGI
1429 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit
Pietrzyk Pierogi is known for its traditional and creative pierogi, as well as other Polish street food favorites but its paczki are a favorite for good reason. Founder Erica Pietrzyk shares, “Prior to selling our prestige pierogi, I would make and sell Pączki for my friends. A true language of love, spending hours prepping the dough to get rolled, fried, and filled with fresh ingredients following the process of Babcia’s (grandmother’s) past.” Now with her own shop, Erica’s team has taken this labor of love to new heights. “What sets our Pączki apart is a devoted love of traditionalism of purging all sweets and fats prior to Lent. We proudly fry with lard for the best texture and taste and always use dense fruit or freshly made custard for fillings. Year after year we wake up well before dawn to spread our love of Polish Culture with the community around us.” Preorders are available now on their site, with flavor choices of blueberry, raspberry, strawberry jalapeño, vanilla custard, and lemon curd. You can order a dozen of a single flavor or up to four flavors if you’d prefer a mix. For even more festive fun, Pietrzyk Pierogi is hosting a Pączki Brunch with Urbanrest Brewing Company on February 23rd.
BLAKE’S ORCHARD & CIDER MILL
17985 Armada Center Road, Armada
5600 Van Dyke Road, Almont
Available now through Fat Tuesday, Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill is offering homemade pączki. Specialty flavors include choices of Caramel Apple, Triple Jam, Chocolate Bavarian, Cookies & Cream, and Cherry Delight, while classics of lemon, custard, strawberry, and raspberry are also on the menu. Additionally, Blake’s is offering 6-pack combo deals to get the most out of their iconic flavors, where you can pair 6 Triple Jam or Caramel Apple pączki with a matching flavor 6-pack of hard cider. You can pre-order yours with weekly pick-up dates available at the Cider Mill and Blake’s Backyard.
LUCA PASTRY
3354 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor
42927 Ford Road, Canton
Luca Pastry brings a touch of Italian flair to traditional pączki. Beyond their specialty cakes, pastries, and impressive dessert trays, Luca Pastry currently offers two extraordinary pączki options. Their cannoli pączki is filled with their iconic cannoli cream and chocolate chips, and dusted with powdered sugar to top, while the Bostom Cream choice is covered in chocolate ganache. Now available at both locations, these pączki are first come first served, so make sure you head over early to get these specialty flavors. As Fat Tuesday approaches, Luca Pastry is set to add more flavors to its lineup as well.
FOR THE LOVE OF SUGAR
100 Erskine Street, Detroit
For the Love of Sugar is known for its delicious cakes and creative desserts, but they also have delightful pączki options “available to pre-order starting in February”, according to owner Manal Hussein. Flavor choices include cannoli, birthday cake (with sprinkles!), strawberry shortcake, Oreo cheesecake, creme brulee, and even Matilda, a black chocolate custard filled pączki with chocolate ganache atop, a play on their decadent chocolate cake that is inspired by the movie of the same name. This is not a spot you’ll want to miss on Fat Tuesday!
PARIS BAKERY
28418 Joy Road, Livonia
This bakery has been a long-standing favorite for Metro Detroiters seeking a fusion of Poland and the Mediterranean. Known for its authentic take on pączki, Paris Bakery offers a variety of fillings, including classics like raspberry, custard, and lemon. Available year-round on Fridays (with additional days of the week being added closer to Fat Tuesday), Paris Bakery can fulfill your pączki cravings whenever they arise. Their dedication to quality and tradition makes them a must-stop during pączki season and beyond. For the dedicated pączki fans, Paris Bakery also offers fun shirts available in-store that’ll show off your love of the treat.
BARTZ BAKERY
1532 North Telegraph Road, Dearborn
Known for their generous varieties of rich fillings, Bartz Bakery pączki are some of the heaviest hitters in the game. Flavors like prune, cherry, and cream cheese set it apart from others, while also delivering classic choices like blueberry and lemon. With 12 options total, you really can’t go wrong with trying the pączki here. As their pączki are fried in vegetable oil instead of lard, they are halal for those interested. Pre-orders for March 4th are being accepted now, but you can certainly walk in on Fat Tuesday for your pączki fix.
NEW PALACE BAKERY
9833 Joseph Campau Avenue, Hamtramck
A visit to New Palace Bakery is a journey into the heart of pączki culture in Metro Detroit. Known as ‘Pączki Headquarters’ for its vast selection, this bakery has become a go-to destination for pączki enthusiasts. At New Palace Bakery, you can find 7 different box options for easy selection, either in-store or called for pre-order. Four boxes are for a half dozen pączki, in raspberry, strawberry, custard, and prune varieties. The other 3 boxes are for a dozen pączki, in either traditional or specialty flavors. The traditional boxes have combinations of raspberry, strawberry, and blueberry or custard, lemon, and apple. As for the specialty box option, you’ll get to try out Cook-zki (cookie butter buttercream), Orange Creamski, peanut butter and jelly, strawberry cheesecake, buttercream, and triple chocolate varieties. No matter the variety you choose, every bite reflects the bakery’s rich heritage and commitment to tradition.
This article has been updated to include new information. The original article was published on February 1, 2024.
