Beginning Saturday, Riverwalk Restaurant will be owned and operated by Joe & Mimma’s of Grafton owner Mario Buffa. He will also open a casual dining restaurant by the middle of May that features a wood-fired pizza oven and micro-brewed beer at the location of the former retail store Stars and Stripes.
The York County Economic Development Authority approved a lease with Buffa, who has spent decades working in the restaurant business, at its Tuesday meeting. Riverwalk Restaurant’s current owner, Tom Austin, opened it in 2005. Austin said he will continue to operate Berret’s Seafood Restaurant and Taphouse Grill in Williamsburg.
The EDA also signed off Tuesday on a $19,000 grant to assist with exterior improvements, which are scheduled to be completed by Memorial Day, according to a press release from the EDA. Buffa said he plans to make changes to the menu and also wants to improve the outdoor dining space with a permanent roof structure. The improvements are scheduled to be in place by June 1.
Buffa said the roof structure will feature vinyl shades that can be closed and heating units so that the outdoor space can be used year-round. Buffa said he didn’t have details about potential changes to the Riverwalk Restaurant menu.
Buffa said negotiations with Austin began in February, with talks becoming more serious late in the summer.
“It is an absolutely gorgeous venue,” Buffa said of Riverwalk. “I’m sure that we can make it a much more successful restaurant and venue and dining experience.”
Austin is looking forward to spending more time with his family.
“Opening a restaurant is a really personal experience,” Austin said. “It’s great. But there comes a time in everybody’s life when you look at how you spend your time and where you are in your life and what your priorities have become, and that’s what I’ve done—at my age, 68 years old, it’s time to play with my grandchildren.”
Austin said he was happy to link up with Buffa. He characterized the changes Buffa wants to make as “positive,” and praised Buffa for keeping all of the Riverwalk Restaurant staff—some of whom have worked at the restaurant since it opened seven years ago—in place.
“It’s very difficult to let go of something that has been so personal. I’ve put a lot of time and energy into [Riverwalk Restaurant],” Austin said.
The new restaurant at the former Stars and Stripes location will feature weekly live music and outdoor seating consisting of café-style tables in both the front and back of the building. Buffa said he estimates that the new restaurant will create 25-30 new jobs.
Members of the York EDA praised both Austin and Buffa – Austin for taking over the Riverwalk Landing’s anchor space in the first place and Buffa for bringing his family’s 40-plus years in the local restaurant business to the waterfront.
“The EDA is extremely happy to be able to have such a successful, well known York County businessman take over the anchor space at Riverwalk Landing, Rick Moberg, chairman of the York County EDA, said of Buffa.
