[Last updated 2/23/25. Scroll down for 2025 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 2025, this falls on Tuesday, March 4.
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 2025!
Places with a strikethrough are unconfirmed for 2025.
Resch’s Bakery
Resch’s, serving up the good stuff on Livingston Avenue since 1912, is already offering paczki for 2025! 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 lemon, blueberry, strawberry, custard, and a new chocolate flavor.
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.
Buckeye Donuts (South Side)
The Buckeye Donuts on the South Side confirme that they will have paczki this year starting the afternoon on Monday, March 3 and running through Fat Tuesday. They’ll have custard, blueberry, and lemon flavors, but you can choose different fillings as well.
Rose Dough Donuts
Rose Dough Donuts, operating out of 1400 Food Lab (until they open their own storefront soon!), is doing paczki again this year on March 1 and 4 only. Pre-orders need to be placed through their site; they’ll open on Monday, Feb. 24.
Kolache Republic
Kolache Republic will offer paczki on Wednesday, Feb. 26 through Sunday, March 2. They’re offering blueberry and Biscoff flavors!
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 daily through Fat Thursday. It’s best to keep up with her on Instagram @sweetclecbus for updates!
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.
Destination Donuts
Destination Donuts said they will be offering paczki this year (usually a vegan version), but as they’re closed Tuesdays, it won’t be on Fat Tuesday itself. Stay tuned for more info!
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!
