A MODERN FRENCH AFFAIR IN BEAUTIFUL WANAKA

Whatever reservations you may have about the French, their cuisine is what makes it all worthwhile. Bistro Gentil brings the delights of French gastronomy to the beautiful shores of Lake Wanaka.

“We revisit typical flavour combinations using fresh seasonal ingredients from our kitchen garden and the best of our region. Lumina lamb, Red Tussocks venison, Lake Ohau Wagyu…”

— Mario Rodrigues, Head Chef

Just minutes from town, our bistro is a serene spot to unwind, with sweeping lake views and sunsets worth savoring.

“Enjoy timeless favourites from our À La Carte menu, from French Onion Soup and Beef Tartare to our signature Crème Brûlée.”

Pair your evening with a visit to the Maude Tasting Room earlier in the day, and don’t forget to reserve your table for dinner. 

Menu

Bienvenue au Bistro Gentil

Appetisers:

  • Oyster, mignonette/8 ea
  • Manuka smoked olives/8
  • Rosemary ciabatta and butter/9
  • Mushroom croquette, aioli/6 ea
  • Beef croquette, onion caramel, hot mayonnaise/7 ea
  • Salt cod croquette, preserved lemon mayonnaise/7 ea
  • Duck croquette, damson relish, parsnip purée/7 ea
  • Chicken liver parfait cigar, quince paste, ash/8 ea
  • French onion soup, gruyere crouton/16 small/23 large
  • Earth board, selection of 3 cheeses, house chutney, walnut, croutons, ciabatta/37

Entrées:

  • Aged beef fillet tartare, radish, egg yolk, soy gel, miso mayo, crispy shallots, croutons/26
  • Yellowfin tuna, leche de tigre, avocado mousse, cucumber, pickled red onion, puffed rice, tapioca cracker/27
  • Grilled courgette, burrata, nashi pear, smoked oyster mushrooms, preserved lemon vinaigrette, parmesan/25

Principals:

  • Beef cheek, parsnip purée, broccolini, onion jus, crispy onion, beetroot relish/52
  • Market fish, baby squid, fried brussels sprouts, tarragon, preserved lemon dressing, celeriac purée, cashews/49
  • Deboned duck leg, creamy duck breast, mushroom, leeks, plum chutney, parsnip purée cider jus/53
  • Royalburn lamb tenderloin, sundried tomatoes, aubergine purée, fried potatoes, walnuts, pickled onions/53
  • Roasted baby carrots, lemon labneh, carrot purée, mustard seeds vinaigrette, dukkah, parsley/44
  • 200g Angus reserve beef fillet, red onion relish, potato dauphines, café de paris butter, onion caramel/65

Accompagnements:

  • Bistro’s signature truffle fries/15
  • Perlas potatoes, tarragon butter, leek ash/16
  • Bistro garden salad, medlar dressing/15
  • Steamed broccoli, blue cheese sauce, pumpkin seeds/16

Desserts:

  • Mini Bistro dessert /8
  • Vanilla crème brûlée, peanut crumb, berry sorbet/20
  • Plum cheesecake, banana chips & caramelised, biscoff crumb/20
  • Espresso parfait, mascarpone and amaretto espuma, savoyardi, cacao/20
  • Caramelised sponge pudding, mixed berry compote, crème anglaise/19
  • Dame Blanche, vanilla ice cream, hot chocolate ganache, nuts/19
  • Selection of house-made ice cream and sorbet/17
  • Affogato, vanilla ice cream, espresso, liqueur of choice /24


Bon appétit !

  • star rating  My partner and I celebrated a birthday and a wedding anniversary at the Bistro Gentil. The Food was just superb, but it was the attention to service that really made... read more

    avatar thumb Russell W
    September 9, 2019

  • star rating  The food was spectacular. We both had the duck with the maple syrup yams and it was all exceptional- easily 10/10. It was one of the best mains we have... read more

    avatar thumb bris1234
    July 25, 2018

  • star rating  Having been locals for over 5 years now our special treat has always been Bistro. Seasonal, fresh ingredients backed by a creativity that's second to none! They never cease to... read more

    avatar thumb Moanin M
    May 8, 2018

  • star rating  We had dinner here and it was super! Up on a hill with views out to the lake and across from a golf course. Beef tartare , fish and sorbet... read more

    avatar thumb Imapepper79
    January 27, 2024

  • star rating  After reading the reviews of Bistro Gentil we decided to go there for our special anniversary dinner. So disappointing! Overall the meals were poor to good.The Royalburn lamb dish that... read more

    avatar thumb Franklea123
    August 22, 2022

  • star rating  We spontaneously went to the bistro in the evening. Without reservation and got a place outside. It was quite cold, but okay, since we had not reserved a table. We... read more

    avatar thumb 757_Judith
    September 30, 2018

  • star rating  This place was a gem. The food was superb, particularly the tartare and confit. Same room for dessert . The Maude wine selection was good. ... read more

    avatar thumb SteveK62
    April 22, 2019

  • star rating  This was an awesome dining experience.
    I ate off the menu and wife tried the “Trust the chef” option and was most impressed.

    avatar thumb peterw812
    November 6, 2022

  • star rating  Saturday night was a wonderful experience, lovely surroundings, greeted with a friendly smile on arrival, seated and offered a drink, completely unhurried to decide what you would like, mouth watering... read more

    avatar thumb Suziqs
    March 17, 2020

  • star rating  This restaurant was recommended by our hotel. We sat outside on a covered patio with heaters. Fabulous views overlooking Lake Wanaka. The kitchen is open as you walk in,... read more

    avatar thumb lovelongboatkey
    February 17, 2019

Reservations

RESERVATIONS

To make a reservation, simply complete the form below, a credit card registration will be required to confirm your booking. No charge will be made to the card at this stage. In the case of ‘no show’ a $50 fee will be charged to the card. Please refer to our booking policy below. 

For private hire, large groups and special requests email bistrogentilwanaka@gmail.com.

For parties larger than 9 people, we offer a 3 course set menu so we can deliver the best service. Please email us for more details.

If you are unable to make a reservation online call us on 03 443 2299 as we may still have availability.

BOOKING POLICY
Please note that the cancellation must be requested 24 hours prior to the reservation time otherwise cancellation charges may apply. When booking we request credit card details via the secure Stripe payment platform in order to confirm the booking.

Bistro Gentil reserves the right to charge a cancellation fee of $50 per head when one of the following conditions has been met:

  1. Booking is cancelled with less than 24 hours notice.
  2. Guests do not show up for the reservation (bookings will be considered no-show after 30 minutes)
  3. Party size is less than the original booking by 2 or more guests without notice.
    The cancellation fee will be deducted from the registered card on file and the person responsible for the booking will be notified by email.

A request from us:

If you are unable to honour your reservation or would like to make any changes, please let us know as soon as possible. It is important that we reallocate seats to our waiting list during busy times.

We are a small restaurant, so the amount of staff on in an evening is based on our bookings. We will love you for it!

Merci!

Contact

Opening Hours

Monday – Saturday 6 pm – late

Sundays from 6:30 pm – late 

To Make a Reservation
Click here

For Inquiries
Ph: 03 443 2299
Email: bistrogentilwanaka@gmail.com

Top