[Last updated 2/16/26. Scroll down for 2026 updates!]
That final Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the traditional start of Lent, goes by many names: Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday, and… Paczki Day. For 2026, this falls on Tuesday, February 17.
Paczki (which is pronounced “PUNCH-key” or “POUNCH-key”) originated in eastern Europe, when observers of Lent needed to use up all the fun ingredients they would abstain from during the season, like butter, sugar, and lard. What better way to do that than mixing up balls of sugary dough and frying them?
Paczki are essentially giant, yeast-raised donuts, typically dusted with powdered sugar and filled with custard or jelly.
Although Columbus doesn’t have large eastern European roots (especially compared to, say, northeast Ohio), a few bakeries around town fry up paczki. Many grocery stores like Kroger, Meijer, Walmart, Giant Eagle, or Marc’s offer them, but I encourage you to support small businesses instead. Here’s where to find them from local bakeries and restaurants in 2026!
Places with a strikethrough are unconfirmed for 2026.
Resch’s Bakery
Resch’s, which moved from their longtime home on Livingston to North Hamilton Road in Gahanna, is already offering paczki for 2026! They’ll be available through Mardi Gras. They suggest calling ahead or stopping in early, as they do sell out. They stuff their paczki with blueberry, lemon, cream cheese, and chocolate raspberry cream.
Buckeye Donuts (Campus)
The campus location will have paczki starting around noon on the Monday before and throughout the day of Mardi Gras! They fry up apple, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, lemon, custard, and plain donuts.
Original Goodie Shop
The Goodie Shop in Upper Arlington is making paczki for Fat Tuesday and filling them with lemon, Bavarian cream, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, and apricot. Here’s the key: you can pre-order them any day of the year; they’re only available for walk-up purchases on Mardi Gras itself.
Rose Dough Donuts
Last year Rose Dough Donuts opened their own storefront in Clintonville. For 2026 they’re offering paczki on Saturday, Feb. 7 and Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Kolache Republic
Kolache Republic will offer paczki again for 2026! They’ll be selling paczki with blueberry cream and raspberry cream from Wednesday, Feb. 11 through Sunday, Feb. 15.
Sweet CLE-bus!
Sweet CLE-bus! is a storefront on Lazelle Road in Westerville, mainly operating as a purveyor of pierogi. She’s serving a very limited amount of paczki on Saturdays through February. It’s best to keep up with her on Instagram @sweetclecbus for updates!
Buckeye Donuts (South Side)
The Buckeye Donuts on the South Side confirmed that they will have paczki this year starting at 5 a.m. on Fat Tuesday and will sell until they run out. They’ll have raspberry, blueberry, and lemon flavors, but you can choose different fillings as well. They suggested calling the shop to place an order.
Destination Donuts
Destination Donuts said they will be offering a few paczki flavors this year on Fat Tuesday itself!
Flourish Brioche
New this year: Flourish Brioche, a newer vendor at the Worthington Farmers Market, will have three types of paczki at the Saturday, March 1 market. They said they’ll have raspberry jam, vanilla custard, and lemon curd cream. Arrive early, because they’ll probably sell out. The Worthington Farmers Market runs from 9 a.m. to noon at The Shops at Worthington Place.
Pierogi Mountain
This Polish outpost downtown just announced they’ll be serving up vegan paczki to go with pierogis, goulash, and other delights today.
Whether you’re abstaining from sweets during Lent or you just need an excuse to get a donut, skip the grocery stores this Mardi Gras and visit a local bakery!
And if donuts aren’t your thing, order a king cake from a Columbus bakery!
