The Dolphin Hotel

Needed a sneaky beer and snack, so popped into the Dolphin. Nice selection of beers and bonus points for having Fellr on tap, partners drink of choice. A very extensive range of options for food, we choose the Merguez sausage pizza and it was 10/10, great flavours, very nicely balanced and a nice puffy crust. The upstairs decor is very nice, subtle, and understated. Not sure how I feel about the walls and ceiling downstairs, kept making me think I’d not made my bed (see photos for reference). That aside great venue, food options galore and super friendly staff. Will be back!

I visit this place quite often, and every time the food is consistently satisfying and the service is solid. It’s a restaurant I frequently recommend to friends. Compared to other wood-fired pizza spots in the city, it definitely holds its own and never disappoints in terms of quality. I especially recommend adding burrata cheese to a Margherita or any of their other pizzas—it makes the pizza even better. My go-to order is usually pizza, focaccia, tomato dishes, and the grilled octopus, and they’ve all been excellent. The heirloom tomato dish, served with buffalo cheese and dressing, is technically an entrée but pairs really well with other dishes and is a great addition to the table. While it’s not always available, the grilled octopus is outstanding and easily comparable to the best I’ve had at other restaurants. The pasta is generally very good as well. Although it was slightly underwhelming on my most recent visit, the overall experience was still very satisfying. This is a place I’ll continue to come back to.

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. The prawns were juicy, and the olives added a perfect salty kick to the flavor profile. We also tried the Vodka Pasta (Bucatini e Polpette). The sauce was incredibly rich and creamy with just the right amount of heat from the chilli. It’s a very ‘upscale’ dining experience in a really cool, trendy setting. Definitely one of my favorite spots in Surry Hills!

I’ve always liked The Dolphin for what it does well, great atmosphere, solid food, and an easy spot for a few beers and a pizza. The quality is definitely there. That said, for the price point I’d expect proper table service. Having to order at the bar doesn’t really match the cost of the meals. Also, we ordered the pâté from the “sharing” section, but it came with just one small piece of toast, not ideal for something meant to be shared. Overall, I wouldn’t choose it again for a full sit-down lunch or dinner. Still worth a visit, just go with the right expectations.

Went for dinner with a group of 12 and they managed everything perfectly! Food was awesome and service was good too! The pizza's were exceptional, the croquettes delicious, the grilled octopus and the crudo tuna were amazing! Most dishes were spicy but they made non spicy versions of them for those who couldn't have chilli! The prawn linguini lacked abit of salt/flavour though. Cocktails were good too. Overall a great experience, I hope it's not long before we visit again!