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, Canter Valley duck…”

— Mario Rodrigues, Head Chef

The quaint bistro surrounded by lavender sits just outside of town, offering tranquil lake views and beautiful sunsets. An ideal way to spend your evening.

“Indulge in the classics from our À La Carte menu such as French Onion Soup, Beef Tartare or Crème Brûlée.

Why not spend the day sampling local award-winning wine here at the Maude Tasting Room and book in for dinner.

Menu

Bienvenue au Bistro Gentil

Appetisers:

  • Oyster, mignonette/8 ea
  • Manuka smoked olives/8
  • Rosemary ciabatta and butter/9
  • Venison tartare, potato rosti/11 ea
  • Salt cod, preserved lemon mayonaise/7 ea
  • Fried goat’s cheese, peach chutney/6 ea
  • Chicken liver parfait cigar, quince paste, ash/8 ea
  • French onion soup, gruyere crouton/16/23
  • Earth board, selection of 3 cheeses, house chutney, walnut, croutons, ciabatta/36

Entrées:

  • Aged beef fillet tartare, radish, egg yolk, soy gel, miso mayo, crispy shallots, croutons/24
  • Seared swordfish, ginger ponzu, pickled persimmon, wasabi mayo, nori tapioca cracker/26
  • Salt-baked beetroot, smoked buffalo cheese curd, fennel oil, pickled beetroot, seed crackers/24

Principals:

  • Market fish, baby octopus, savoy cabbage, capers, citrus, brown butter, croutons/48
  • Red Tussocks venison loin, jerusalem artichoke, hazelnut, celeriac puree, black garlic jus, kale/51
  • Lumina lamb rump, swede and potato puree, brussel sprouts, salami crumb, truffle jus/51
  • 200g Reserve beef fillet, prawns, creamed spinach, dijon dressing/59
  • Jerusalem artichoke, chilli oil, faked almonds, celeriac puree, buffalo curd, spiced shallots/42

Accompagnements:

  • Bistro’s signature truffle fries/15
  • Roasted yams, orange and cranberry, spiced grains/16
  • Steamed brocoli, provolone and blue cheese sauce, pumpkins seeds/16

Trust The Chef:

  • 3 course/59
  • 4 course/69

Desserts:

  • Mini Bistro dessert /8
  • Vanilla crème brûlée, peanut crumb, berry sorbet/20
  • Chocolate fondant, crumb, orange sauce, salted caramel ice cream/20
  • Lemoncello syrup cake, whipped ricotta, pistachios/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  Great location . Good wine. Service standard but food worst in our experience in New Zealand - esp. For among the high end restaurants. Everything was overpowered with mayo type... read more

    avatar thumb Mary L
    December 6, 2023
  • 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  10 of us dined for my son's birthday. Absolutely loved the meal I had and everyone else enjoyed theirs as well. Superb food,excellent service. Definitely recommend. We will be back.

    avatar thumb RachOhakune
    October 30, 2020
  • 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  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  Outstanding food and out on terrace was exceptional. They even had hats until the sun dropped enough. Great local wines to enjoy as well as many others.A lovely garden and... read more

    avatar thumb H349ORpaul
    February 27, 2020
  • star rating  Before we went here we had only reviews to go on. The website suggests going up in the afternoon, enjoying the stunning views of the lake over a wine-tasting and... read more

    avatar thumb drstu61
    September 28, 2020
  • star rating  I’ve visited this restaurant once before and it was absolutely amazing so I had to return! Although the menu had changed slightly to my first visit, it didn’t let... read more

    avatar thumb taylarhiko
    May 21, 2019
  • star rating  My husband (woo!) and I recently wed in an intimate ceremony in Wanaka, New Zealand, and we chose Bistro Gentil for our celebration dinner with our family that evening. Sinead... read more

    avatar thumb kimwaldo
    October 10, 2019
  • star rating  We really enjoyed the food last night which was exceptional. I cannot thank the staff enough for making the night extra special for our engagement and I appreciate the little... read more

    avatar thumb roryk839
    November 18, 2018

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 Closed

Tuesday to Sunday 6 pm – late  

To Make a Reservation
Click here

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

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