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, plum kasundi /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
  • Cured salmon, horseradish buttermilk, daikon, dill chickpea cracker /27
  • Fresh asparagus, slow cooked egg, goat cheese espuma, puffed buckwheat /25

Principals:

  • Deboned duck leg, creamy leeks, mushroom & duck breast, rhubarb chutney, cider jus/53
  • Market fish, prawns, fennel, tangelo beurre blanc, peas, sorrel, dried red peppers, puffed wild rice /50
  • Royalburn lamb rump, courgette pesto, cucumber & courgette, pickled red onion, mint oil, polenta crisps /55
  • Roasted yams, whipped cumin sour cream, pickled beetroot & relish, spiced grains /44
  • 200g beef fillet, red onion relish, potato dauphines, café de paris butter, onion caramel/65
  • Glazed confit pork belly, raw spinach maifun salad; shiitake mushrooms, celery gel, cider jus, almonds /53
  • Alpine venison striploin, creamy savoy cabbage & bacon, roasted kumara, harissa dressing, kale /56

Accompagnements:

  • Rosemary ciabatta loaf & butter /9
  • Bistro’s signature truffle fries/15
  • Garden salad, medlar dressing /14
  • Fried brussels sprouts, medlar dressing, preserved lemon mayonnaise/15
  • Roasted pumpkin. ricotta salata, crispy shallots/16
  • Roasted yams, whipped cumin sour cream, spiced grains /16

Desserts:

  • Vanilla crème brûlée, peanut crumb, berry sorbet/20
  • Kiwi fruit textures, almond dacquoise, mascarpone/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
  • Café gourmand, selection of 3 mini bistro desserts served with coffee or tea /25
  • 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

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!

  • star rating  Rare is it that I find a restaurant that can satisfy my tastes and feel comfortable dining in - the portions are just the right size, not too small or... read more

    avatar thumb siobhanplace8
    May 29, 2020
  • star rating  This restaurant has it all. Amazing location with views onto the lake, charming building and interior, a French inspired cuisine to die for and very kind and subtle staff. Just... read more

    avatar thumb Mausl2014
    March 20, 2019
  • star rating  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

    avatar thumb Alsek810
    March 3, 2024
  • star rating  My partner and I went to Bistro Gentil for our anniversary and had a lovely experience. There is an option on the menu to "trust the chef". This was such... read more

    avatar thumb 868chrystalb
    October 20, 2022
  • star rating  Situated near the Golf Club,a bit out of town,this establishment is a wine tasting room by day & a beaut restaurant by night specialising in local produce...We particularly enjoyed the... read more

    avatar thumb john241Caloundra
    May 15, 2018
  • star rating  We went to this place on a friends recommendation and it absolutely blew us away ! The atmosphere is classy but casual and feels really welcoming as you step in... read more

    avatar thumb damsonpie
    February 24, 2021
  • star rating  Delicious food, stunning view! Reasonably priced given the quality of food. Would definitely visit again.

    avatar thumb Christine R
    October 4, 2018
  • star rating  We were very excited to be going to this restaurant as we had heard lots of good things about it. We were part of a group of six celebrating our... read more

    avatar thumb Nellteach53
    August 22, 2022
  • star rating  Authentic French with some touch of brilliant flavours! We had a range of selection from menu. Each and every one was exceptional. Taste is believing.

    avatar thumb 389joe
    August 12, 2022
  • star rating  Both indoor and covered patio areas offer casual elegance in atmosphere. Go around sunset and you will hopefully get beautiful glowing skies from the patio. The food is superb. And... read more

    avatar thumb portlandorer
    March 17, 2020

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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