About UsAbout Us
Where fun happens
Over the Road started out as a sister business to the Upper Beaconsfield General Store. It was originally, literally, over the road! Guess we weren’t that creative with the name. 🙂
We wanted to create a fun, casual cafe, restaurant & bar here in the hills. After operating the Upper Beaconsfield site for 2 and a half years, we moved the restaurant up into the heart of the Eastern Dandenong Ranges, here in Emerald, Victoria.
We welcome you to come and visit our family business. Try our #chefmade food featuring burgers, salads, ribs, brisket, wings and more. Over the Road – #wherefunhappens
Hours of Operation
We’re open 7 days a week, opening every day at 7:30am. On Mondays and Tuesdays we close at 3pm. Wednesday through Sunday we are open until 9:30pm. Book a table here:
IN THE MEDIA
Meet the Davey Family from Over the Road Restaurant
“We’re an ordinary family with a big to-do list.” These words perfectly capture the essence of the Davey family, who embarked on an 18-month adventure around Australia in 2018. This journey, shared on their YouTube channel, TODOING Family, garnered a following of 7.5k subscribers, resonating with many who dream of such freedom and exploration.
Upper Beaconsfield locals JD and Steph have deep roots in their community. JD, with a robust IT background, and Steph, a dedicated primary school teacher, decided it was time for a well-deserved break. In 2019, they set off on their adventure with their three boys, travelling across the Outback. It was during this time, while crossing the remote stretches between NT and QLD and barely seeing another car for days, that they contemplated a new direction in life. A bit of spare time and some Googling revealed two intriguing opportunities back home: Sally’s Burgers and the Upper Beaconsfield General Store were both up for sale.
In early 2020, JD and Steph took the plunge, purchasing both businesses. They rebranded both businesses using a distinctive orange colour palette derived from the fluoro safety vests worn in the garden and hardware areas of the business. Thus began their next big adventure: The Upper Beaconsfield General Store and Over the Road Restaurant.
Despite having no background in hospitality, the onset of COVID-19 brought unexpected opportunities. With the 5km travel restrictions, they were able to source local baristas and others interested in hospitality, turning the General Store and Over the Road Restaurant into community hubs. Providing coffee and takeaway food services during the lockdowns was a lifeline for many locals.
Fast forward to 2024, and despite economic challenges, Steph and JD saw another opportunity to grow. When Sticks & Stones and the BBQ Smoke Pit in Emerald came up for sale, they expanded their reach by adding another Over the Road Restaurant and Corner Store. Their commitment to their employees and the community has been unwavering.
Many who started their careers at The Upper Beaconsfield General Store and Over the Road Restaurant at 15 are now 19, with qualifications in hospitality. The businesses now employ 50 local people, providing opportunities for growth and leadership in the industry.
Steph and JD’s dedication to their community is evident in everything they do. Their businesses not only support the local economy but also give their boys the chance to be involved and learn valuable skills. Working full-time, they look forward to welcoming both locals and visitors to their venues, continuing to serve with the same passion and commitment that started their journey.
Come visit the Davey family at The Upper Beaconsfield General Store and Over the Road Restaurant, where community and family values are at the heart of everything they do.
Read the original article: Meet the Davey Family from Over the Road Restaurant – Eastern Dandenong Ranges
Posted: Mon 24th Jun 2024
By Gabriella Payne 10/12/21
The picturesque community of Upper Beaconsfield has welcomed a new casual restaurant ’over the road’, and it’s quickly becoming a local favourite.
The new eatery, aptly named ’Over the Road’, is run by the owners of the Upper Beaconsfield General Store, JD and Steph Davey, and was officially opened to the public on Friday 3 December.
The husband and wife duo, who are locals themselves, said that they were thrilled to open the diner’s doors and welcome people in after months of preparation.
“It’s pretty exciting – we’ve never run a restaurant before,“ JD explained.
“We run the cafe and general store and we saw this and thought, there’s an opportunity to learn as we go, so we went for it.“
Read the full article: Pakenham Gazette
By Cameron Rocke 01/12/2021
Just as locals are getting used to the new General Store, now partly a café, JD and Steph are opening a complementary licensed restaurant and beer garden ‘Over the Road’. The artist’s impression shows what customers can expect the new venture to look like upon completion. It will open on 3 December just as the ‘Bell’ goes to print.
Anyone visiting the village would have seen works starting back in July, and a carpark full of tradies’ utes and vans, who all happen to be local at JD’s insistence. A local theme again surrounds the ethos of running the business. The staff, mostly locals, will alternate work between the General Store/Café and the new restaurant. The head chef, Bonnie, when riding her horse up to the take-away window at the General Store to get a coffee enquired about any vacancies, and upon further discussions has been appointed to the position.
Read the full article: Village Bell
By Shelby Brooks 28/09/2021
A new TGIF inspired restaurant is set to open in Upper Beaconsfield in the coming months.
‘Over the Road’ will be a wings, ribs and burger casual dining experience offering dine-in and takeaway, run by the owners of the Upper Beaconsfield General Store JD and Steph Davey.
JD and Steph took over the Upper Beaconsfield General Store in 2020, introducing a small café to the shop.
From the success of that, they decided to take the opportunity to acquire what was the ‘Tradies & Ladies Café’ which shut earlier this year.
“Our general store business was going well and then the opportunity came up to acquire the site over the road,” JD said.
“The general store is a big retail business but we can’t do dinners here but there’s a big opportunity because the nearest takeaway is down into Beaconsfield or up into Emerald”.
Read the full article: Pakenham Gazette
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