After years of planning, activity spotted at Twentynine Palms Highway site

Yucca Valley — After more than two years in the planning and permitting phase, construction has finally begun at The Star Cafe, a new restaurant, coffee shop, and bar coming to the corner of Twentynine Palms Highway and Elk Trail.

The Pioneertown Gazette team observed grading and trenching activity at the 55761 Twentynine Palms Highway site this week, marking the first visible progress on a project that has been navigating the approval process since 2022.

The ambitious development will transform a former automotive property into an approximately 2,700-square-foot hospitality destination featuring a full-service restaurant, retail space, coffee bar, and cocktail program. The project represents a significant addition to Yucca Valley's evolving food and beverage landscape, particularly along the Old Town corridor.

According to town planning documents, the proposal includes on-site food preparation and alcohol sales, converting the 10,040-square-foot parcel into a modern dining and retail experience. The project has undergone extensive site plan reviews and environmental assessments through the Yucca Valley Planning Commission.

The Star Cafe's journey through the approval process has been notably lengthy. Planning corrections were first issued in February 2022, and the project received conditional approval from the Planning Commission in 2023. By late 2024, town staff indicated construction would begin soon—a timeline that appears to be materializing based on current site activity.

One significant development in the approval process involved the removal of nearly $50,000 in in-lieu fees that had originally been required for future Highway 62 widening, sidewalk, and alleyway improvements. This adjustment by town staff helped clear the way for the project to move forward.