Dionne Himmelfarb has spent 30 years as a pastry chef, perfecting her craft and infusing every creation with a story. After decades of sharing those stories through the places she’s worked, it’s now time for her to share her own.
“I came from Indonesia over 30 years ago. I came for culinary school and have been working in pastry pretty much since then,” Himmelfarb told What Now Seattle.
Himmelfarb brings an extensive background from the Ethan Stowell Restaurant Group, where she oversaw pastry production across more than 20 distinct concepts.
“The restaurants are all not the same and this is the best part of it. It’s like every restaurant has its own unique sense of direction,” she said. “I had the chance to not just make a big amount of production but also focus on telling the story of each restaurant.”
In 2022, after her daughter left for college, Himmelfarb partnered with Stowell to open a chicken restaurant. The experience gave her firsthand insight into building a restaurant from the ground up. Once the shop was successfully established, she chose to step away from fried chicken and return to her true passion—pastries.
“One of my friends said to me, ‘You’ve been really good at telling the stories of the culture and restaurants you work for. I think it is time to tell people about your story.’ That’s what inspired me to open this bakery,” Himmelfarb said.
She continued, “I feel like this is my chance to really tell my story throughout my creation. All the skills that I have acquired over the past 30 years, I wanted to bring to people so they can come and taste what it feels like for me to feel at home.”
And, that’s how Cloudy Cafe was born.
The name Cloudy Cafe carries personal meaning for Himmelfarb. Her middle name is Claudette, and as a child she was called Claudy. Blending the nickname with the character of Seattle’s weather, Cloudy felt like the perfect fit.
While it does rain a lot in Seattle, Himmelfarb said, “It’s always going to be sunny at Cloudy Cafe.” The cafe’s design will reflect the vision, with a bright palette of vibrant orange and green, centered around a Monstera plant as the focal point.
The menu will feature pastries infused with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, galangal and ginger, which are commonly used in Indonesia, incorporated into familiar favorites like croissants, lemon tarts, cinnamon rolls and quiche. Himmelfarb is also partnering with an Indonesian coffee roaster to complement the pastries.
“I want people to know what our flavor profile is like, but I’m not serving something people are not familiar with. The flavor is robust, but it’s familiar,” Himmelfarb said. “I think what is unique about our bakery is it’s offering comfort food but at the same time it’s going to make you think, ‘Wow! What’s this flavor?’ That’s what’s special about our place.”
Cloudy Cafe will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“My hope is when people start their days–they go to work or they’re dropping their kids off–I want them to be able to come to my bakery and feel like they’re taken care of like they are at home,” she said.
While an official grand opening date has not yet been announced, Cloudy Cafe plans to debut in mid-October. For updates, visit the cafe’s website and follow along on social media.
