Restaurant
The Dolphin Hotel
412 Crown St, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia
Find The Dolphin Hotel
412 Crown St, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia
Directions ↗*Opening hours may differ during holidays.
Book NowAbout The Dolphin Hotel
Crown Street’s resident heavyweight nails the high-low balance, pairing properly poured pints with serious Italian wood-fired cooking. The space shifts between fabric-wrapped downstairs walls and a sleek upstairs lounge, making it an easy pick whether you are dropping in for a casual schooner on the street terrace or settling in for a proper feed. Regulars know to head straight for the wood-fired pies—long-fermented dough that bakes into an airy, charred cornicione. Slap a cool burrata over a Margherita, or order the King Prawn with juicy prawns and salty olives. Beyond the pies, the kitchen turns out rich bucatini e polpette with a chili-spiked vodka sauce alongside tender grilled octopus over salsa verde and white beans.
- Wood-Fired Italian Fare: Long-fermented wood-fired crusts, rich bucatini e polpette, and grilled octopus with salsa verde served across all dining areas.
- Multi-Level Layout: Distinct settings across two levels, from the fabric-draped ground floor to a sleek top-floor lounge and street terrace.
- Terrace Pints & Warm Hospitality: Pours cold pints, properly served Guinness, and Fellr seltzer on tap, matched with friendly, attentive floor staff.
What's On at The Dolphin Hotel
Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.
No events or specials listed right now.
Why Choose The Dolphin Hotel
Why guests choose The Dolphin Hotel for Italian dining, group celebrations, and casual drinks.
Expertly Fermented Woodfired Pizzas
Diners consistently commend the authentic Italian pizzas featuring light, airy bases fermented from high-grade flour.
You can really tell they use high-quality flour and a long fermentation process because the base is so light and airy.
RUECHYY Full Italian Dining Across All Zones
The kitchen delivers elevated Italian fare spanning rich pastas, octopus, and crudo dishes available throughout the pub spaces.
The food ranges from quite upmarket dishes to pizzas and burgers and you can eat any of the food in any dining space.
Sarah charles (Thewhereto) Multi-Level Space for Large Groups
The multi-floor floorplan accommodates large parties with dedicated bars, indoor rooms, and lounging areas.
There's two floors with two bars. Beautiful lounging area on the top floor. Great place for large groups.
Serevi nauvi Naivoce Dedicated Private Event Lounges
Private function rooms upstairs make daytime celebrations feel intimate and well-supported with dedicated bar service.
We hired a private room for around 30 people, and it was perfect — updated, roomy, and full of these cute little nooks that made it feel both intimate and spacious at the same time.
Vsuteski Casual Drinks on the Terrace and Lounges
Guests enjoy dropping in casually to sit on the street terrace or upstairs spaces for a draught beer or snack without rigid formal booking constraints.
They have great beers and cocktails and it's the perfect spot to have a drink on the terrace outside or upstairs.
Sabrina Bourouis All-Day Walk-In Accessibility
The venue provides all-day walk-in seating flexibility alongside bookable options across varied outdoor and indoor streetfront tables.
It is open 7 days a week for all day dining from midday til late. You can book or generally be pretty lucky with walk-ins.
Sarah charles (Thewhereto)
Most popular items
Standout woodfired pizzas and signature Italian plates
Grilled Octopus
the grilled octopus is outstanding and easily comparable to the best I’ve had at other restaurants
shin sunglyoung King Prawn Linguine
The king prawn linguine was another great dish, beautifully cooked, flavoured with the Crustacean XO Butter and lemon, the linguine was superb and not too heavy which is good whilst you’re out having a few drinks.
Sarah charles (Thewhereto) Merguez Sausage Pizza
we choose the Merguez sausage pizza and it was 10/10, great flavours, very nicely balanced and a nice puffy crust
Mark Beaumont King Prawn Pizza
If you come to The Dolphin Hotel, you must get the King Prawn pizza! You can really tell they use high-quality flour and a long fermentation process because the base is so light and airy.
RUECHYY
Other favorites
Sides, desserts, and tap drinks to complement your visit
Focaccia
The burrata was sooo good and paired so well with the focaccia.
Chels_ eatravel Shoestring Fries
We ordered sides of broccolini with chilli and garlic as well as shoestring fries.
Sarah charles (Thewhereto) Delfina Tiramisu
We finished off with their Delfina Tiramisu, a huge slice of coffee soaked Savoiardi, Tasmanian Mascarpone, Vanilla Bean, Marsala and Coffee Liqueur provides for a creamy and delicious dessert.
Sarah charles (Thewhereto) Fellr on Tap
bonus points for having Fellr on tap
Mark Beaumont
Frequently Asked Questions
What seating areas and dining environments are available?
The Dolphin features a two-level layout with multiple rooms, an upstairs lounging area, a terrace, and outdoor tables along the front. Guests can order from the full menu across the different spaces, ranging from an upmarket dining room to more relaxed outdoor seating.
What styles of pizza should I look out for on the menu?
The Dolphin serves authentic wood-fired pizzas featuring fermented, airy dough, with popular choices including the King Prawn, Merguez sausage, and Hot Honey pizzas. Additions like burrata cheese onto pizzas such as the Margherita are frequently recommended.
Can the venue host large groups and private events?
Yes. The venue accommodates large groups across its two levels and private event spaces, with dedicated upstairs event rooms and private bar service suitable for gatherings of 20 to 30 people or more.
Do I need to make a reservation, or are walk-ins welcome?
Both bookings and walk-ins are welcomed. You can reserve ahead for dining or private spaces, but casual walk-ins are also regularly accommodated across the indoor and outdoor areas.
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