The notorious strip connecting Sydney CBD with the City of Parramatta is currently undergoing a massive revamp to transform it into a cosmopolitan high street and (hopefully) inject some life into its deserted state.

That’s the plan anyway.

But despite its obvious traffic congestion, noise pollution and lack of parking, there is one small family-run Italian restaurant that has defied all odds, surviving the strip for nearly 30 years.

It’s difficult to spot at first, because of its dark, seedy location but when you find it, it has you wondering how it has managed to stay afloat when everything around it is falling apart — literally.

It’s located on a block directly in front of a set of lights just before entering the M4 in Concord. Around it are 10 empty businesses, with graffiti littering the surrounds.

But Franco and Luciana Graniero have managed to survive in the ghost town.

They first opened their restaurant Da Franco Incontro back in 1991 when Parramatta Rd was a little less chaotic.

“There were less cars on the road back then, less noise but it’s still the same in some ways — it’s still dirty, noisy and polluted,” Mr Graniero, 65, told news.com.au.

“Next door was a milk bar, a fish shop, another corner shop and a dance club across the road, but they’re all gone now. So many businesses have opened then closed because of the parking and the noise.”

Admittedly, while they say it’s not the most attractive looking restaurant from the outside, people’s perceptions change once they go in — crediting their survival on fresh, affordable food and good customer service.

“People will travel anywhere if the food is good, fresh and not too expensive,” Mr Graniero said. “If you look after your customers they come back with more people and that’s why we are here. They trust me.”

“The most obvious reaction customers give when walking in is, “This isn’t what we were expecting,’” Mrs Graniero, 64, said.

“Most people say, “We have been driving past for so many years and we finally decided to give it a go,” and when customers come in they are pleasantly surprised,” she said.

The interior of Da Franco hasn’t changed much from the 1990s — just like the food, it’s a blend of the couple’s Italian heritage spanning from Naples, the Amalfi Coast and Venice.

In the early 2000s, Mr Graniero considered closing the eatery down because he “couldn’t stand Parramatta Rd” but “suddenly we kept getting more and more customers”.

The restaurant doesn’t have a social media page but the pair say when customers do post food photos, it attracts more people.

“When our customers post on their Instagram or Facebook we get lots of people coming in and asking for those specific dishes,” Mr Graniero said. “So it has helped spread the word.”

Australian Retail Association executive director Russell Zimmerman agreed that it is a tough retail climate across Australia, with Parramatta Rd certainly no exception.

“There has been a big loss of independent businesses, there’s no use denying that,” he said.

But he is a big believer that once WestConnex is finished, it will help ease the traffic congestion and create a more vibrant retail sector.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics latest retail figures, nationally there has been a 4.16 per cent growth in the cafe and restaurant sector in the past 12 months.

Victoria had a 4.99 per cent growth compared to 2.99 per cent in NSW, 0.41 per cent in Western Australia and 3.74 per cent in Tasmania.

“You have to take into account that NSW has had good growth for the past six years, so it’s harder to get that bigger increase when you’re coming off a lower base,” Mr Zimmerman said.

He said the loss of businesses along Parramatta Rd has been both an opportunity and problem.

“A problem because we are losing small businesses but an opportunity because apartments are going up giving space to retail stores.”

He said that while traffic congestion and lack of parking has played a role in the closure of retailers along the populated road, “if you have a unique point of difference and do it well, it can lead to a successfully run business,” no matter where it’s located.