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
  • Chicken liver parfait cigar, quince paste, ash/8 ea
  • Mushroom croquette, aioli/6 ea
  • Salt cod croquette, preserved lemon mayonnaise/7 ea
  • Beef croquette, onion caramel, spicy mayonnaise/7 ea
  • Duck croquette, parsnip purée, pear chutney/7ea
  • Earth board, selection of 3 cheeses, house chutney, walnut, croutons, ciabatta/37

Entrées:

  • French onion soup, gruyere, crouton/16 small/23 large
  • Aged beef fillet tartare, radish, egg yolk, soy gel, miso mayo, crispy shallots, croutons/26
  • Seared yellowfin tuna, buttermilk dashi, wakame, pickled fennel, citrus kosho, sesame tapioca cracker/27
  • Baked goat cheese, beetroot relish, roasted butternut, walnut crumb, crispy kale, butternut purée/25

Principals:

  • Deboned duck leg, creamy leeks, mushroom & duck breast, pear chutney, cider jus/53
  • Market fish, prawns, potato darphin, parsnip purée, bouillabaisse lobster sauce, spring onion and chives/50
  • Royalburn lamb rump, creamy polenta, yams, garlic emulsion, harissa dressing, comté cheese, hazelnuts/54
  • Jerusalem artichokes, pomegranate dressing, mushroom purée, smoked labneh, black garlic gel, cashews/44
  • 200g Angus reserve beef fillet, red onion relish, potato dauphines, café de paris butter, onion caramel/65
  • Pork tenderloin rolled in bacon, jerusalem artichokes, cavolo nero, mustard seeds, cider jus, shallots/53

Accompagnements:

  • Bistro’s signature truffle fries/15
  • Perlas potatoes, tarragon butter, crème fraiche, parsley, leek ash/17
  • Fried brussels sprouts, medlar dressing, preserved lemon mayonnaise/15
  • Steamed broccoli, blue cheese sauce, pumpkin seeds/16

Desserts:

  • Mini Bistro dessert /8
  • Vanilla crème brûlée, peanut crumb, berry sorbet/20
  • Plum cheesecake, caramelised banana, banana crumb, plum coulis/20
  • Dark chocolate mousse, chocolate custard, crumbs, sea salt tuile/20
  • Lemon curd slice, confit lemon, coconut crumb, vanilla ice cream/20
  • 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

5 Course Tasting Menu /99 pp

Wine pairing /60 pp

+ 4 oysters /32

Course 1: 

Beef croquette, hot sauce mayonnaise 

OR

Mushroom croquette, aioli 

Pairing: Maude Méthode Traditionnelle NV, Wanaka, NZ

Course 2: 

Soup of the day 

Pairing: Matawhero 2025 Pinot Gris, Marlborough, NZ 

Course 3: 

Beef tartare, radish, egg yolk, soy gel, miso mayo, crispy shallots, croutons

OR

Seared yellowfin tuna, buttermilk dashi, wakame, pickled fennel, citrus kosho, sesame tapioca cracker 

Pairing: TWR 2022 Riesling, Marlborough, NZ

Course 4: 

Wildshot venison, caramelised cauliflower purée, brussels sprouts, crispy bacon, roasted hazelnuts and marmite jus 

Pairing: Le Gentil 2022 Pinot Noir, Wanaka, NZ

OR 

Market fish, prawns, potato darphin, parsnip purée, bouillabaisse lobster sauce, spring onion and chives 

Pairing: Maude 2025 Chardonnay, Wanaka NZ

Course 5: 

Chocolate crémeux,  meringue, berry jam, hazelnut praline

Pairing:  Campbell’s Muscat, Rutherglen, Aus

Bon appétit!

  • star rating  Sensational setting and note worthy food. We opted to do the chefs choice 3 course with wine pairings. It was wonderful! The rabbit gnocchi was very flavorful and excellent texture.... read more

    avatar thumb jessicatJ7836PM
    December 4, 2019
  • star rating  Lacklustre service but food food
    If I was the chef here I would be disappointed to see this comment, food was generally pretty good however let down by poor... read more

    avatar thumb Q5958IBchriss
    October 6, 2020
  • star rating  This is hands down the best meal i had during my entire 14 days trip in the South Island. Definitely amongst the top 10 meals , I had for ... read more

    avatar thumb RickHunterW
    May 15, 2019
  • star rating  We ate here during our three night stay in Wanaka and it was absolutely delicious. Both dishes were perfectly cooked and delightfully flavoured. Service was relaxed and friendly, a good... read more

    avatar thumb Lgyajh1987
    April 15, 2019
  • star rating  This is now probably the best place to eat in Wanaka. We tried the competition but this place wins. The onion soup is a wow - even a teenager would... read more

    avatar thumb Dave And Nicky B
    September 21, 2023
  • star rating  You would be a fool to miss this restaurant. It is an absolute hidden gem. The food is to die for, perfectly cooked and plated beautifully. The ambience here is... read more

    sophie12342016
    July 9, 2019
  • star rating  There have been a few places we have eaten in that were memorable but this is certainly one of them. Nothing we ate or drank came short of the mark... read more

    avatar thumb B1005OIphiliph
    June 30, 2021
  • 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  This is a busy casual place for lunch or dinner. In the evening, the bar scene is buzzing with locals, who all know each other and the lively barmaids on... read more

    avatar thumb Ted G
    January 7, 2019
  • star rating  Magnifique - what a delight it was to sit at a table and dine at Bistro Gentil. The food & wine was amazing and enjoyed by all.
    The service... read more

    avatar thumb RobynD1060
    March 15, 2021

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

Tuesday & Wednesday 5:30 pm – Late

Thursday – Saturday 6 pm – Late

Sunday & Monday – Closed

To Make a Reservation
Click here

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

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