About Us
The Key Factors
Creating Waypoint’s Exciting Future
Waypoint Seafood and Grill Restaurant marks Williamsburg’s latest culinary destination from Owner/Operator, Mario Buffa. The Waypoint menu is a celebration of Chesapeake ingredients and includes items grown at local farms and caught in regional waters. The pure flavors and rich ingredients presented in the seasonally changing entrees represent a variety of Mediterranean cuisine with classic culinary heritage. But by far, it’s the people of Waypoint that bring it alive, serving as our key ingredient.
Mario Buffa
Owner/Operator
Born in Milan, Italy and raised in the restaurant business in the greater Peninsula for over 50 years!
Over the years, Mario has blossomed into a dedicated and true restaurateur. He began in Hampton in 1970 at Anna's Pizza in Buckroe at his family's Italian pizza shop. Joe and Mimma’s Italian Restaurant opened in November 1972 with a second location that opened in Newport News in 1973. In 2010, Mario ventured into mainstream franchise restaurants. In December 2012, he launched flagship restaurants, Riverwalk and Water Street Grille located at the historical Yorktown waterfront, which has been phenomenally successful. In 2021, Mario is honored to follow in the great footsteps of Chef Hans at Waypoint Seafood & Grill. Mario’s dining and entertaining philosophy is truly simple: "treat every family and guest as if they were dining with us in our home! Begins with a warm welcome and finishes with memories to last a lifetime."
The Waypoint Way
With 100 years of collective experience in the hospitality industry, we have partnered to bring the ultimate eclectic dining experience to our customers and the greater historical Williamsburg area. Our passion runs deep for food, fine wine, local farms, and the people we serve.