Has Maurice Terzini sold his stake in The Dolphin?

The Dolphin Hotel is the talk of Surry Hills, and not because it awoke from the COVID-19 lockdown and reopened last week.

Chatter on the Crown Street strip is Maurice Terzini has sold his stake in the pub to his business partners.

Not only has the Icebergs' restaurateur put the delfino in the Dolphin, he's also helped pioneer an Italian renaissance on a section of Crown Street now home to Luigi Esposito's Pizza Fritta 180 and Jared Merlino's Bartolo.

Indeed, the two blocks of Crown Street between Foveaux and Albion have been mounting a strong case for the title of Sydney's emerging Little Italy.

Terzini declined to comment when asked if he's cashing in his Dolphin chips.

Whoever is in the wheelhouse at the Dolphin, the new offering looks good.

The pub has rebooted its dining room to groups of 10, has a delicious to-go menu and has opened a food and wine store with a line-up curated by sommelier James Hird.