By Kelly Ingram (Nishimoto)
Signal Staff Writer
Mimi’s Café in Valencia, a longtime local fixture, is being torn down to make way for a new Yard House restaurant.
Located across the street from Valencia Town Center, Mimi’s Café had served the community for more than 30 years, offering French-inspired American cuisine and a casual dining atmosphere. The restaurant was known for its signature baked goods, homestyle meals, and distinctive golden exterior.
Demolition crews began work this week to remove the structure. The site will soon be home to a new Yard House, a popular national restaurant chain known for its extensive menu and large selection of draft beers.
Mimi’s Café first opened its doors in Valencia in 1998, during a period of rapid growth in the Santa Clarita Valley. Over the years, it became a local favorite for family gatherings, celebrations, and weekend brunches. Its closure marks the end of an era for many residents who grew up visiting the restaurant.
Prior to Mimi’s, the location at the intersection of Magic Mountain Parkway and Cheri Fleming Auto Center Drive had been occupied by Tony Roma’s. The restaurant known for its ribs opened in the River Oaks Shopping Center in 1989 and closed in 1997 after briefly being renamed Memphis Blues when the owners of the Tony Roma’s franchise broke away from the parent company.
The former Tony Roma’s was itself bulldozed to make way for Mimi’s.
While the latest change is nostalgic for some, the arrival of Yard House signals new energy and dining options for the area. The new restaurant is expected to offer a contemporary design, an expanded bar area, and a wide-ranging menu that caters to a broader customer base. An exact opening date has not yet been announced.
