D.O.T.I: Don’t Overthink It – The Amberley restaurant built on friendship, grit and a century-old grain store

    Dylan Aymes (left) and Hannah Williamson have worked in hospitality together for years – and now they are not just good mates, but business partners. Claire Inkson

When Hannah Williamson and Dylan Amyes unlocked the doors to D.O.T.I in June last year, they did it on a leap of faith.

 Redundancy had pushed them out of their long-held roles at Waipara Hills, and although they both temporarily picked up jobs elsewhere, they were still searching for what came next.

Then the old Amberley grain store came up for lease.

“It was pretty simple,” Amyes says. “We looked at each other and thought, what else are we going to do.”

Williamson laughs and adds, “We’ve talked about having something small for years. But if we’d overthought it, we wouldn’t be here.”

That became the restaurant’s name and ethos: D.O.T.I, Don’t Overthink It.

 It is a philosophy that runs through everything they do, from the way they approached opening a business to the unfussy menu that has quickly made the restaurant a favourite in Amberley’s emerging dining scene.

More than a century old, the building once served as PGG Wrightson’s grain store, surrounded by the former sale yards Claire Inkson

A historic building with new life

The building itself is part of the draw.

 More than a century old, it once served as PGG Wrightson’s grain store, surrounded by the former sale yards.

 Photos taken in 1959 by local identity John McCaskey hang on the restaurant walls, a reminder of Amberley’s rich rural heritage.

“It’s pretty incredible when you see those old photos and realise it’s barely changed,” Williamson says. “The bones are amazing.”

When they took over the space, the stained-glass windows were already in place, but nearly everything else had to be rebuilt.

 A fresh kitchen, a new bar, walls opened up, and the deck extended.

All of it came with the realities of council consents, planning requirements, structural engineers and delays that nearly derailed the project more than once.

“It almost stopped us,” Amyes says. “But we pushed through.”

Local wine from the neighbouring Waipara Wine Region makes up a wine list that champions local producers. Claire Inkson

Best friends in the kitchen

Williamson and Amyes have worked together on and off since she was sixteen. They are not partners, just best friends, and it is a relationship that has become the backbone of D.O.T.I’s success.

 In the kitchen, they move with the easy rhythm of people who barely need to speak to communicate.

“We’ve done this together for so long we just know,” Amyes says.

Their roles complement each other.

 “Dylan’s the ideas guy,” Williamson says. “I rein things in and refine. It works.”

Together they run the entire kitchen, just the two of them, which is rare in hospitality and part of what makes the place feel personal.

 Diners see them working behind the scenes, plates flying out with pace and purpose.

“It’s part of the charm,” Williamson says. “And we love that.”

D.O.T.I’s menu reflects their shared philosophy: keep it simple, understate and over-deliver, and let the flavours speak for themselves.

From the popular D.O.T.I platter to the scallops, venison and duck dishes they are most proud of, their menu sits comfortably between casual and refined.

They are committed to using local products wherever possible: pork and beef from Harris Farms, venison from Lovat Venison,microgreens from the Amberley farmers market, North Canterbury goat cheese, and an evolving wine list that champions the region’s producers.

“We’re so lucky being on the edge of the North Canterbury wine region,” Williamson says. “It gives us such a good base to work from.”

When Hannah Williamson and Dylan Aymes took over the lease, the stained-glass windows were already in place, but nearly everything else had to be rebuilt. Claire Inkson.

A regional win worth celebrating

In December, D.O.T.I was announced as the winner of The North Course, now in its fourth year celebrating the very best of North Canterbury’s food and drink throughout November.

 Hosted by Made North Canterbury, the event brings together 18 eateries across Waimakariri and Hurunui, each creating a dish featuring local ingredients, with voting done via QR-coded table talkers.

 “We’re just super stoked,” Williamson says. “We’re so small, and some of the other eateries get so much more foot traffic. So, to be this little old place in Amberley that won it — we’re blown away. It means a lot.”

Community roots and future ambitions

For Williamson and Amyes, Amberley has always felt like home, but it is also a growing town on the cusp of something bigger.

 “People travel from Rangiora and Oxford just to come here for lunch or dinner,” Amyes says. “A few years ago, that wasn’t happening.”

The community has embraced them wholeheartedly.

Locals stop by weekly, some even more often, and their five-star Google rating reflects the strong relationship they have built with the town.

“The locals got us through those first six months,” Williamson says. “We wouldn’t be here without them.”

Like any new business, the learning curve has been steep.

 Between the admin, the compliance, the planning and the reality of running a kitchen five days a week, the workload is relentless.

 “We’re closed Tuesday and Wednesday,” Williamson says, “but we’re still working those days to keep up with everything else.”

They hope to bring in extra help eventually, but for now, diners love seeing both chefs in the kitchen, and the pair are cautious about changing the dynamic that makes D.O.T.I special, and also credit their staff to contributing to their success.

“We are have an awesome front of house crew. We definitely couldn’t do it without them,” Williamson says.

Despite the challenges, the highlights outweigh everything: the positive feedback, the regulars and the customers who try D.O.T.I for the first time and become loyal fans. “One guy came recently for the first time, and now he comes every week,” Amyes says. “Stuff like that is pretty cool.”

As for the future, Williamson and Amyes say they are happy evolving slowly and naturally.

 “We wouldn’t want another venue,” Williamson says. “We love this building. Its size limits us, but it’s also the charm.”

They dream of doing more wine nights or collaborative events with local producers one day, but for now, they are focused on mastering the business, staying consistent and keeping D.O.T.I exactly what it has become: a local favourite with heart.

“We’re still learning, still hustling,” Williamson says. “But we’re proud of where we are.”

Sometimes the best things come from not overthinking it.