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
  • Heirloom tomato, burrata, pumpkin seed pesto, tomato essence, green oil, capers, rye crackers/25

Principals:

  • 250g peppered ribeye, sweet corn purée, dijon dressing, pickled onion, crispy shallots, spring onion/56
  • Market fish, prawn, creamy spinach, crying tiger dressing, crispy wild rice, almonds/49
  • Deboned duck leg, creamy duck breast, mushroom, leeks, plum chutney, parsnip purée cider jus/51
  • Royalburn lamb tenderloin, romesco, garlic harissa dressing, aubergine purée, cashews, broccolini/52
  • 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
  • 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
  • Strawberry cheesecake, poached rhubarb and syrup, biscoff crumb/20
  • Tiramisu parfait, mascarpone and amaretto espuma, savoyardi, cacao/20
  • Caramelised sponge pudding, mixed berry compote, crème anglaise/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  While on holiday in NZ we visited Wanaka and celebrated my wife's birthday in this restaurant. Excellent food, good service and a nice and special way to choose your wines... read more

    avatar thumb leonp217
    March 23, 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  We visited Bistro Gentil last night and had a wonderful experience. We outside which was nice and cozy with the fires going under the canape. We had the steak tartare... read more

    avatar thumb BoabGlen
    May 28, 2021
  • star rating  We had dinner here for 4 to celebrate our sons engagement to his lovely fiance and their last night In New Zealand before flying home to the UK. The meal... read more

    avatar thumb Fredthefiddle
    February 15, 2020
  • star rating  We went on a Friday night and there weren’t many people perhaps because it’s not in the downtown area. There’s inside and outside seating in an attractive setting. We had... read more

    avatar thumb redroverma
    December 26, 2019
  • star rating  This was an awesome dining experience.
    I ate off the menu and wife tried the “Trust the chef” option and was most impressed.

    avatar thumb peterw812
    November 6, 2022
  • star rating  We enjoyed a very special meal in a spot with great views. The staff were very friendly & looked after us very well.

    avatar thumb KerryL148
    March 5, 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  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

    avatar thumb Amy098765
    January 25, 2020
  • star rating  We always make Bistro a priority when we visit Wanaka, as the food is always spectacular. The meals are imaginative, well balanced and of course, delicious! Three of us dined... read more

    avatar thumb 210stepht
    August 24, 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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