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.
Bienvenue au Bistro Gentil
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
Cured salmon, horseradish buttermilk, daikon, dill chickpea cracker
Pairing: TWR 2022 Riesling, Marlborough, NZ
Course 4:
Glazed confit pork belly, raw spinach maifun salad; shiitake mushrooms, celery gel, cider jus, almonds
Pairing: Le Gentil 2022 Pinot Noir, Wanaka, NZ
OR
Market fish, prawns, fennel, tangelo beurre blanc, peas, sorrel, dried red peppers, puffed wild rice
Pairing: Maude 2025 Chardonnay, Wanaka NZ
Course 5:
Chocolate crémeux, meringue, berry jam, hazelnut praline
Pairing: Campbell’s Muscat, Rutherglen, Aus
Bon appétit!
I went to Bistro Gentil for dinner with my friends last week. Everyone loved it! Delicious and beautifully presented dishes, I personally had the pork belly, the fish and the... read more hazelnut choux dessert. To be honest, haven't felt this way after a meal in a long time! Definitely the kind of dinner experience you want to have when you feel like treating yourself! Service was excellent. It has been recommended to us to go there and I would definitely recommend it myself!
AnniePnz
Joined friends for dinner and enjoyed a superb meal with a great selection of local wines.
One of the best dining experiences we have had in Wanaka. Starting with the... read more service and assistance from very well trained and polite staff.
Not a huge menu but choices to savour. Beautiful presentation, good sized portion and an excellent description of each course.
Very highly recommended - pricy but you get what you pay for in this restaurant.
dajeck
My wife and I had a wonderful Sunday evening meal at Bistro Gentil. The food and service were exquisite. The atmosphere was perfect, not too loud, nice music but at... read more a proper volume. The highlight of the evening was the excellent food. The menu was short but everything we were ordered was impeccably prepared. My wife and I both ordered the fish entree which was brill with a cauliflower purée. We also ordered a couple of other mains and an appetizer which were delicious. Great wine selection. Highly recommended, best meal we’ve had in New Zealand so far.
Alsek810
We had excellent food our entire wonderful Backroads trip but Bistro Gentil was my favorite.
Beautiful setting, comfortable seating, elegant casual decor. Servers were excellent, even serving our group of... read more twenty.
Great vegetarian options - I am pescatarian. Loved all three courses, had a goat curd and leak appetizer, moki fish entree - fish cooked perfectly, and creme brulee with sorbet for dessert. My husband had a cauliflower based entree that he loved.
Wine was good - like everywhere in NZ.
RandiFayeC
Take a stroll up past the golf course to find this charming little restaurant with a view even better than down by the lake shore ( those snow capped mountains... read more seem closer, somehow!)
A lovely menu with a good selection of dishes providing vegetarian,fish and meat options, small to larger portion sizes so you can share, or choose soup and a generously sized entree instead of a main course ( and then have room for a gorgeous crème brûlée)
Professional service, tranquil location, great food - and good value too. And a nice after dinner stroll back down past the golf course.
What more could you want!
Highly recommended.
barbrajayne
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 All the food we saw come out of the kitchen looked mouth watering. The view over the lake is not to be missed. Service was attentive and very informed. They handled my allergy’s and food preferences very professionally. This is a must place to book into while visiting wanaka.
jessicatJ7836PM
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 to the fire so were warm and cosy. The ambience was lovely. We felt very VIP and the chef served up some amazing entrees, mains and desserts that looked and tasted extra special. Richard recommended some lovely wines to accompany dinner. Thanks to all for such a fine dining experience ❤️
Nikki D
Wow! Top class food that is probably one of the best in NZ, friendly and attentive service and to top it off outstanding views. Can not recommend this any higher!... read more Thank you Bistro Gentil for a great evening and appreciate you fitting us in last minute too!
Amy098765
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 best creme brulee ever. Loved being able to sample various local wines by choice of...More
Ellen T
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 french onion soup, fish of the day and the gingerbread cheesecake. Every dish was delicious...More
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:
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!
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