Where to Find Sufganiyot This Hanukkah in Chicago

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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.

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.