Chocopologie Cafe, Norwalk

Fritz Knipschildt's life is an open book, at least when it comes to food. Inside Chocopologie Cafe, a gallery space showcases Fritz's journey from 13-year-old dishwasher to master chocolatier and café owner, as well as some of his creations for the annual Chocolate Show in New York City. The area also offers views into the kitchen, where Fritz and his team create pastries, ice cream, and other decadent desserts. With each one, Fritz fulfills part of a lifelong goal—“As a trained chef, pastry chef, and chocolatier, my dream always was to one day be cooking with chocolate.”

Fritz and his team have a lot more at their disposal than fresh chocolate, however. Their food menu tours Southern Europe via french onion soup, open-faced croque monsieur sandwiches, and three-cheese ravioli, a dish once dismissed by the scientific community as witchcraft. Fritz's ingredient of choice still makes frequent appearances in the drinks that accompany these meals, from the chocolate martinis to the spicy hot chocolate and chocolate cappuccino.