Pticek's Bakery

-Grubbing in Chicago 
Where the Locals Eat

One last post in this weeks Valentines Day ideas feature. Today we say to hell with flowers and anything else that you're forced to watch rot. Why give her those when there's a great place like Pticek's and Son Bakery over by Midway? Full disclosure that I know the family that runs this place. I actually met a friend of mine thru LTH at some point and his wife's family runs it. When we first met he had some of their goods and I knew this place baked with the best right then and there when I tried some.


A longtime locals favorite near Midway (DOPE sign!)

Since we met my buddy's been to many of the places I've posted about here on the site with me as we explored. So it's time I return the favor to him on a place he introduced me too. Pticek's is the definition of a great neighborhood place. There's currently three generations of Antionette's who work there. Mother, daughter and grandaughter. Hell even great granddaughter who's in grade school is there helping now and then. My buddy's wife's grandma helped start the place and to this day she's there each and every one of them baking some of their house specialties which include Croatian Walnut Cakes, Bohemian Kolacky, their famous rainbow dough and so many other things including made to order homemade cakes of all varieties.

The wrapping generations of Chicagoan's are happy to see in the morning

You know what's funny is that despite having been here only a couple times I've eaten the goods from here countless times. My buddy is always hooking it up. Pticek's has always been our early morning fuel when going on a Foodventure. One thing I rarely ever pass on is their coffee cake. This is what I compare all others too. Actually I just dont bother with any others anymore. Unless it's Pticek's it aint worth the weight.


Coffee Cake for the God's

The other reason I've been waiting on this post was I wanted to get it up around Fat Tuesday aka Paczki Day in some parts. These deep fried pieces of dough stuffed with a variety of flavors are traditional to Polish Cuisine and very popular in different parts of the Midwest including Chicago. Actually it's Polish tradition to celebrate on "Fat Thursday" which is the Thurs. before Ash Wednesday but most other places in the region celebrate on Fat Tuesday. In Chicago we like to celebrate with eating them on both days. We have a large Polish population and hey if you've walked the streets you've seen this isnt a sushi and salad town.


Paczki Pat (Video by Gary Wiviott)

You can pre-order your Paczki and pick them up whenever but beware the line is down the block when the doors open at 5a. They make them five days a week (Closed Sun & Mon) around this time of the year and offer 10+ varieties. For someone 'not big on sweets or pastrys in general, I sure do enjoy Ptcek's. It's a great stop before or after a flight out of Midway airport and a Chicago treasure. They just dont open them like this place anymore. It's truly all in the family.


The Pride and Joy of Pticek's (Video by Gary Wiviott)

Riding with Pticek's by my side

Pticek & Son Bakery
5523 S Narragansett Ave
Chicago, IL 60638
773-585-5500
Website