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:

  • Braised oxtail & short rib, 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 rump, 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
  • Pear and blueberry compote, oat crumble, yoghurt ice cream, dulce de leche /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  Loved the ambiance. We went in winter and the restaurant is cozy and has lovely character. Service cannot be faulted. However, the food was a bit of a let-down on... read more

    avatar thumb H M
    July 16, 2021
  • star rating  Gorgeous cosy space, wine tasting by Maude by Day. Gourmet dinner by night. Special occasion or just treat yourself, this is by far the best restaurant in Wanaka. Staff friendly... read more

    avatar thumb GooseGirl555
    September 18, 2020
  • star rating  We ate twice. The beef tartare and monkfish were outstanding. Desserts looked amazing and we had the pavlova which is highly recommended. Lovely staff a bonus

    avatar thumb ScottM130
    January 8, 2024
  • star rating  Been traveling throughout New Zealand for about 3 weeks now. Wanaka is a great town to rest on the way to/from the west coast. After reviewing other TripAdvisor restaurant ratings,... read more

    avatar thumb mywaypete
    February 28, 2020
  • star rating  Stumbled upon this gem on our last night and was very impressed with everything on offer. From the cosy setting to the genuine service! I did the Chef's Choice and... read more

    avatar thumb kellydZ8895PN
    January 13, 2020
  • star rating  Bistro Gentil was absolutely amazing! Price is fantastic, servings are very generous and the staff go far beyond to make your evening so special. I cannot fault one thing about... read more

    avatar thumb jkrasmussen26
    March 23, 2022
  • star rating  Fabulous meal, thet best we have eaten in a long time. Easily beats the #1 rated place.

    Best on a nice day, to eat outside.

    avatar thumb rbertolott
    January 14, 2020
  • star rating  My family and I came here for dinner a couple days ago and were amazed by the delicious food, incredibly kind and generous staff, and pleasant atmosphere. We were seated... read more

    avatar thumb nms04
    December 29, 2019
  • star rating  Bistro Gentil is, far and away, the best restaurant in Wanaka. My husband and I have enjoyed a meal here every time we come to Wanaka, but we also had... read more

    avatar thumb JackieL2451
    May 27, 2018
  • star rating  One of our best meals during our 3-week holiday in New Zealand! Beautiful setting just outside Wanaka, friendly service, warm casual atmosphere and outstanding food! Creative, very well prepared and... read more

    avatar thumb LarchFoodie
    January 12, 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

Tuesday – Saturday 6 pm – Late

Sunday & Monday – Closed

To Make a Reservation
Click here

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

Top