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/6 ea
  • Salt cod croquette, preserved lemon mayonnaise/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/36

Entrées:

  • Deep fried baby back ribs, white bbq sauce, pickled red cabbage/26
  • Seared swordfish, ginger ponzu, pickled mandarin, wasabi mayo, nori tapioca cracker/26
  • Baked goats cheese, walnut crumb, marsala mayonnaise, roasted parsnip, peach chutney/24

Principals:

  • 250g Peppered ribeye, creamy mash potatoes, black garlic jus/57
  • Market fish, calamari, cauliflower purée & fried, curry, almonds/49
  • Red Tussocks venison striploin, celeriac purée, red cabbage, sundried tomatoes, sunflower seeds/52
  • Lumina lamb backstrap, romesco, garlic harissa dressing, aubergine purée, cashew, broccolini/52
  • Salt-baked beetroot, whipped ricotta, smoked beetroot purée, aji verde, puffed rice/42
  • 200g Angus reserve beef fillet, red onion relish, potato dauphines, café de paris butter, onion caramel/65

Accompagnements:

  • Bistro’s signature truffle fries/15
  • Creamy mash potatoes, chips/16
  • Asparagus, fried egg mayonnaise, chorizo crumb/17
  • Steamed brocoli, blue cheese sauce, pumpkin seeds/16

Desserts:

  • Mini Bistro dessert /8
  • Vanilla crème brûlée, peanut crumb, berry sorbet/20
  • Fig cheesecake, poached pear and syrup, biscoff crumb/19
  • Tiramisu parfait, mascarpone and amaretto espuma, savoyardi, cacao/20
  • Dame Blanche, vanilla ice cream, hot chocolate ganache, nuts/18
  • Selection of house-made ice cream and sorbet/17
  • Affogato, vanilla ice cream, espresso, liqueur of choice /24


Bon appétit !

  • 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  A winery for tastings in the future and French bistro by night. The best meal in NZ to date. Confit duck leg with tart plums and sweetcorn puree and the... read more

    avatar thumb Ellen T
    March 6, 2019
  • star rating  Warm welcome on a cold and rainy night. The food was excellent, the staff friendly and helpful and the wine selection great. Well worth the drive.

    avatar thumb Barms1005
    May 17, 2018
  • star rating  This place is amazing. We sat out on the terrace and the view of the mountains and lake is lovely.
    The food is to die for. We had the... read more

    avatar thumb Katie B
    November 7, 2021
  • star rating  Outside of Wanaka but worth the drive up. Great view across the golf course to the lake and the mountains beyond it. Food was very good but on a busy... read more

    avatar thumb jamesl680
    December 4, 2023
  • star rating  Another great recommendation from our Airbnb Host, thank you!! Bookings essential as it is very popular!
    What a lovely surprise to walk into this restaurant. So warm and cosy on... read more

    avatar thumb sayithowitisnoholds
    December 10, 2019
  • star rating  Rare is it that I find a restaurant that can satisfy my tastes and feel comfortable dining in - the portions are just the right size, not too small or... read more

    avatar thumb siobhanplace8
    May 29, 2020
  • star rating  I went here with a group of people for dinner. I had heard great things about the place so was looking forward to trying it for myself. I had the... read more

    bohica-nz
    June 18, 2019
  • star rating  So nice to have a restaurant that is not so big and noisy.
    We never got a chance to admire he views due to the bad weather however the food... read more

    avatar thumb kruuza
    August 16, 2021
  • star rating  Had a fabulous dinner last night at Bistro Gentil. Our waiters Richard and Scott were super friendly and very quick to help out on dietary allergies. We were seated next... read more

    avatar thumb Nikki D
    July 9, 2022

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

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