Sicilian Restaurant Parramatta closes on Church St

One of Parramatta’s oldest restaurants has closed its doors after almost 30 years in the suburb’s once-bustling dining strip.

Joanne Vella

@Parramatta_News

2 min read

March 6, 2021 - 9:16AM

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It has been a Church St icon for 26 years but the coronavirus and Parramatta light rail construction has driven Sicilian Italian restaurant to shut its doors, spelling the end of an era for the longest-serving eatery on the dining strip.

Co-owners Garry and Maral Simonian, who have helmed the restaurant for 17 years, shut up shop on February 21.

“It’s been a hectic ride in Parramatta,’’ Mrs Simonian said.

Sicilian restaurant in 2008. Picture: John Fotiadis

“We copped a lot and we survived all sorts of renovations in Church St, and a lot of the issues were the homeless and the junkies. Parramatta is Parramatta.’’

She also blamed the lack of support, such as no rental assistance during light rail construction, from Transport for NSW.

Friends Kat Richards, Alexandra Rose and Elise Dean eating out alfresco at a restaurant in Church St, Parramatta, in 2008, long before Church St’s problems. Picture: John Fotiadis

Sicilian Restaurant in 2008.

Parramatta Lord Mayor Bob Dwyer, who has been lobbying the state government to support Church St businesses more, was disappointed with the demise of Sicilian, which was one “of the best restaurants’’ in its earlier days.

“That’s typical of what’s going on at that end of town,’’ he said.

The light rail has not helped Sicilian’s future.

“It’s sad because we don’t want to lose any restaurants in Parramatta, we just want to increase them. If we lose one, do we lose more?’’

But the Simonians have not ruled out a return to Parramatta, albeit in a different location.

“We have a lot of clientele and massive data base so we will open again,’’ Mrs Simonian said.

Few of the restaurants from Church St’s heyday remain. City Extra shut in 2017 after 30 years of feeding night owls at the 24-hour eatery.

Criniti’s Italian restaurant also closed last year but Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger is confident restaurants can bounce back but said now was the time to think about how Church St would be shaped over the next 25 years.

City Extra and Ray and Lou’s. Picture: John Fotiadis

“I think Church St has been decimated by COVID and light rail — that’s very sad but it will rise again post August when light rail rolls out,’’ he said.

“The street will look amazing.

“The street is the most well connected street in Parramatta. It has a lovely setting of heritage buildings, which gives it that wonderful variety.

“Church St’s gone through these tough times before but it came back.’’