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
  • 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
  • Seared yellowfin tuna, buttermilk dashi, wakame, pickled fennel, citrus kosho, sesame tapioca cracker/27
  • Baked goat cheese, beetroot relish, roasted butternut, walnut crumb, crispy kale, butternut purée/25

Principals:

  • Deboned duck leg, creamy leeks, mushroom & duck breast, peach chutney, cider jus/53
  • Market fish, vongole, potato darphin, parsnip purée, bouillabaisse lobster sauce, spring onion and chives/50
  • Royalburn lamb rump, creamy polenta, yams, garlic emulsion, harissa dressing, comté cheese, hazelnuts/54
  • Jerusalem artichokes, pomegranate dressing, mushroom purée, smoked labneh, black garlic gel, cashews/44
  • 200g Angus reserve beef fillet, red onion relish, potato dauphines, café de paris butter, onion caramel/65
  • Pork tenderloin rolled in bacon, jerusalem artichokes, cavolo nero, mustard seeds, cider jus, shallots/53

Accompagnements:

  • Bistro’s signature truffle fries/15
  • Perlas potatoes, tarragon butter, crème fraiche, parsley, leek ash/17
  • Fried brussels sprouts, medlar dressing, preserved lemon mayonnaise/15
  • Steamed broccoli, blue cheese sauce, pumpkin seeds/16

June Trust The Chef:

  • 3 Course $69
  • 4 Course $79
  • 5 Course $95

Our Trust the Chef menu for June is designed as a true seasonal dining experience, inviting you to step back and let our kitchen lead the way. Available in either 3, 4 or 5 courses, each menu is thoughtfully curated by the chef to highlight the best produce of the moment. While it may occasionally draw inspiration from our à la carte offerings, the dishes are composed to create a more complete and expressive journey.

Desserts:

  • Mini Bistro dessert /8
  • Vanilla crème brûlée, peanut crumb, berry sorbet/20
  • Plum cheesecake, caramelised banana, banana crumb, plum coulis/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
  • Selection of house-made ice cream and sorbet/17
  • Affogato, vanilla ice cream, espresso, liqueur of choice /24


Bon appétit !

  • star rating  After reading the reviews of Bistro Gentil we decided to go there for our special anniversary dinner. So disappointing! Overall the meals were poor to good.The Royalburn lamb dish that... read more

    avatar thumb Franklea123
    August 22, 2022

  • star rating  What a delicious meal. We all had Trust the chef, and we’re not disappointed. Service very friendly and wine was spot on, a good variety to choose from. Will definitely... read more

    avatar thumb 252karene
    January 12, 2022

  • star rating  This is hands down the best meal i had during my entire 14 days trip in the South Island. Definitely amongst the top 10 meals , I had for ... read more

    avatar thumb RickHunterW
    May 15, 2019

  • 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  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  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  Totally blown away by the experience. Great food, wine and service. As locals, we tended to stick to ‘tried & tester’ but was game to try something for our Silver... read more

    avatar thumb C2MeiD613
    March 5, 2020

  • star rating  Dined here as a husband, wife and fussy teen. This place didn’t disappoint. Staff are excellent. I just kept asking myself why we can’t have more restaurants with great staff... read more

    avatar thumb vm183
    June 28, 2018

  • 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  I'm still digesting the delicious 3 course meal as I write this. The food was next level. If you're wanting the best of what Wanaka has to offer then this... read more

    avatar thumb BoabGlen
    May 8, 2018

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

Top