Since Maurice Terzini announced in March this year that he and his team were taking over Surry Hills institution The Dolphin Hotel, we’ve been waiting to see what his update will look like. As the pub sets itself to reopen, the team has released a first look at the new space. And it couldn’t be more impressive. Interior architect George Livissianis, who has made his mark across Sydney hospitality with his fit-outs of Potts Point’s The Apollo, Cho Cho San and Billy Kwong, has stripped things back as far as they can go, exposing the bones of the building and rebuilding from there. Elements that hold up design-wise are preserved as is, and others have been wrapped in dramatic all-white cloth, channelling artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. It fits the bill for minimalism. There’s raw brick, concrete floors, woods and metals, with highlights by ‘artist in residence’ Beni and sculptor/installation artist, Tracey Depp, and couldn’t be further from the carpeted pub that locals were familiar with. On the food side, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar executive chef Monty Koludrovic will be overseeing the menu for the Surry Hills stalwart, doing accessible Australian-Italian food to serve three separate, yet integrated spaces – a public bar, a dining room and a wine room. “We’re basing the food at the public bar on what we do at the Icebergs Bar,” explains Koludrovic. “It was a place where we wanted people to come and have a meal and not break the bank.” Pubgoers can look forward to a take on the ‘Iceburger’, plus an Italian schnitzel in the form of a cotoletta, pan-roasted with guanciale, capers, lemon, sage and tarragon. Retro pub classics from cabanossi and cheese on toothpicks and Samboy chips will keep the space true to its roots, but a by-the-glass selection available at the public bar by award-winning sommelier James Hird ups the game. Hird is also curating the selection at the wine bar, which will feature a salumi bar stocked by Anthony Puharich of Vic’s Meat. “We’ll also be doing a version of stuffed cabbage, and an amazing cheese and bacon bread,” says Koludrovic. “And then just some pretty amazing fresh fruit. The ultimate brief is: food that is good with wine.” In the dining room expect approachable but more refined dishes in an osteria style: chopped eggplant with fresh herbs and garlic, local burrata drizzled with olive oil, minestrone with shellfish oil or pizzas and desserts out of the wood fired oven, including a wicked tiramisu layered with tempered dark chocolate. “It’s like a little nod to the Viennetta,” says Koludrovic. “And we’re working on a sundae. It’ll be based on frozen Nutella parfait, with whipped cream and Nutella iced magic.” The revamped The Dolphin Hotel is set to reopen in early June. The Dolphin Hotel, 412 Crown Street, Surry Hills Pictured: Maurice Terzini and George Livissianis.

“There’s raw brick, concrete floors, woods and metals, with highlights by ‘artist in residence’ Beni and sculptor/installation artist, Tracey Depp, and couldn’t be further from the carpeted pub that locals were familiar with.”