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Where to Find Sufganiyot This Hanukkah in Chicago

How can anyone not love a holiday where eating jelly doughnuts is a requirement?

by aimee.levitt
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by aimee.levitt
Shutterstock

The miracle at the center of the Hanukkah story centers around a small cruet of oil that miraculously kept the eternal flame in the Temple of Jerusalem burning for eight days when everyone thought it would only last one. Therefore, it was decided by future generations of Jews that the best way to celebrate Hanukkah would be by eating lots of oil — more specifically, food fried in oil. In most parts of the world, Jews eat pancakes, or latkes, but in Israel, they eat jelly-filled doughnuts, called sufganiyot, a combination of North African pastries called sfenj (fried balls of dough dipped in honey) and European jelly-filled doughnuts. According to one source, sufganiyot were popularized in the 1920s (when Israel was still called Palestine and governed by the British) by a labor organization that argued that while latkes could be made at home, it took a professional to make good sufganiyot, which meant more work for bakers. Here’s a list of bakeries that are selling sufganiyot this Hanukkah in Chicago, one for each night.

As of August 20, the city has mandated that everyone wear facial coverings while indoors. For updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; the latest data about the delta variant indicates that it may pose a low-to-moderate risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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North Shore Kosher Bakery

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One of the last kosher bakeries in West Ridge will be selling sufganiyot again this year, as it has every year in four flavors: raspberry, chocolate, caramel, and custard. Customers can also find the doughnuts in select Mariano’s and Jewel locations.

2919 W Touhy Ave, Chicago, IL 60645
(773) 262-0600
(773) 262-0600

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Smack Dab Chicago

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This Rogers Park bakery will be selling a limited number of sufganiyot for one day only, Tuesday, November 30. Unlike much of Smack Dab’s menu, these doughnuts will not be vegan or gluten-free, and the flavor of the jelly filling is still to be determined. Order via Tock.

6730 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60626
(872) 241-9111
(872) 241-9111

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Tel-Aviv Kosher Bakery

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One of the last remaining kosher bakeries from the strip that used to line Devon Avenue, Tel-Aviv will be selling sufganiyot this year, as it has every year for the past 70 years. There are jelly-filled and custard-filled, with chocolate and caramel glaze, as well as classic powdered sugar.

2944 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 764-8877
(773) 764-8877

Sam & Gertie's

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The vegan deli will be selling cherry pie-filled sufganiyot this year, plus half a dozen flavors of rugelach, and blue and white cookies, a seasonal variation on black-and-whites. Preorder via Tock for pickup November 24.

1309 W Wilson Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 293-7413
(773) 293-7413

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Firecakes Donuts

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This year, as every year, Firecakes will be selling special sufganiyot, in addition to their regular seasonal jelly-filled doughnuts. Keep an eye on their Instagram, where they’ll be posting more details as Hanukkah gets closer.

68 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 329-6500
(312) 329-6500

Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken

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Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken will be serving raspberry sufganiyot at all six of its locations during the eight days of Hanukkah. The doughnuts are available for take-out, delivery, or dine-in.

181 N Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 624-8878
(312) 624-8878

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Masa Madre

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Elena Vázquez Felgueres and Tamar Fasja Unikel, the two bakers behind Masa Madre, combine Jewish breads and pastry with the flavors of their native Mexico. This year, customers can choose from two sufganiyot fillings: dulce de leche and cafe con leche. They’ll be available for pickup or delivery from November 30 through December 3; preorder on the Masa Madre website.

135 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60612
(872) 202-8307
(872) 202-8307

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Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen

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Last year because of the pandemic, Manny’s teamed up with West Town Bakery to sell sufganiyot, but this year their bakery is fully operational again, and they’ll be making their own: chocolate, raspberry, and daily specials.

1141 S Jefferson St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 939-2855
(312) 939-2855

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North Shore Kosher Bakery

2919 W Touhy Ave, Chicago, IL 60645

One of the last kosher bakeries in West Ridge will be selling sufganiyot again this year, as it has every year in four flavors: raspberry, chocolate, caramel, and custard. Customers can also find the doughnuts in select Mariano’s and Jewel locations.

2919 W Touhy Ave, Chicago, IL 60645
(773) 262-0600
(773) 262-0600

Smack Dab Chicago

6730 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60626

This Rogers Park bakery will be selling a limited number of sufganiyot for one day only, Tuesday, November 30. Unlike much of Smack Dab’s menu, these doughnuts will not be vegan or gluten-free, and the flavor of the jelly filling is still to be determined. Order via Tock.

6730 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60626
(872) 241-9111
(872) 241-9111

Tel-Aviv Kosher Bakery

2944 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659

One of the last remaining kosher bakeries from the strip that used to line Devon Avenue, Tel-Aviv will be selling sufganiyot this year, as it has every year for the past 70 years. There are jelly-filled and custard-filled, with chocolate and caramel glaze, as well as classic powdered sugar.

2944 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 764-8877
(773) 764-8877

Sam & Gertie's

1309 W Wilson Ave, Chicago, IL 60640

The vegan deli will be selling cherry pie-filled sufganiyot this year, plus half a dozen flavors of rugelach, and blue and white cookies, a seasonal variation on black-and-whites. Preorder via Tock for pickup November 24.

1309 W Wilson Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 293-7413
(773) 293-7413

Firecakes Donuts

68 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654

This year, as every year, Firecakes will be selling special sufganiyot, in addition to their regular seasonal jelly-filled doughnuts. Keep an eye on their Instagram, where they’ll be posting more details as Hanukkah gets closer.

68 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 329-6500
(312) 329-6500

Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken

181 N Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607

Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken will be serving raspberry sufganiyot at all six of its locations during the eight days of Hanukkah. The doughnuts are available for take-out, delivery, or dine-in.

181 N Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 624-8878
(312) 624-8878

Masa Madre

135 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60612

Elena Vázquez Felgueres and Tamar Fasja Unikel, the two bakers behind Masa Madre, combine Jewish breads and pastry with the flavors of their native Mexico. This year, customers can choose from two sufganiyot fillings: dulce de leche and cafe con leche. They’ll be available for pickup or delivery from November 30 through December 3; preorder on the Masa Madre website.

135 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60612
(872) 202-8307
(872) 202-8307

Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen

1141 S Jefferson St, Chicago, IL 60607

Last year because of the pandemic, Manny’s teamed up with West Town Bakery to sell sufganiyot, but this year their bakery is fully operational again, and they’ll be making their own: chocolate, raspberry, and daily specials.

1141 S Jefferson St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 939-2855
(312) 939-2855

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