Bistro Gentil

  Highly recommend reservation to avoid disappointment - parking at the rear or on the front or better still get a taxi - this is not really a place for young... read more children/younger teens (no kids menu) it’s more for adults wanting fine dining experience - Bistro Gentile is in a fabulous location and even better if it’s a nice day/evening and you can reserve a table with lake view - dine in or on the covered outside area - lovely decor inside - can get chilly on the outside covered area but there are heaters overhead or take a shawl if it’s going to be a chilly evening/day - staff are super friendly - GF diners be wowed as nearly everything on the menu can be made GF (it does not say what’s GF or DF etc on the menu which would be nice and makes it more easy but staff are super helpful) the food is amazing cooked to perfection whatever your choice is - the food presentation is fabulous - a lovely selection of wine, cocktails and soft drinks - we were a party of 4 - our choice ratings best: tartare or soft goats cheese or salmon all totally amazing - mains: beef fillet or hanger steak or market fish accompanied with french fries with yummy truffle salt, spring carrots again totally amazing - we couldn’t leave without me having my all time favourite: creme brûlée which was and always is exceptional - if you’ve got time to treat yourself or a special occasion then this is the restaurant to dine at in Wanaka, it’s exceptionally the best. Okay you may pay more but it’s totally worth it. Well done to Bistro Gentile for being such a fabulous restaurant.

  We are lovers of French food so picked this place while in Wanaka. Maybe we got it wrong but we found it more Modern and less French. I opted for... read more the king prawn starter but it seemed like more squid than prawn. The sauce, for my taste, didnt resonate with me. It’s probably me coming in with the wrong expectations because the restaurant has so many good reviews that I feel a bit unfair giving them only “okay”. The venue is nice, and the service was good. Wine options were also good.

  Oh. Wow. Came here with my parents (75 & 80), and we were simply blown away.
Incredible view and lovely staff who genuinely seem to enjoy working there. ... read more />
My mother normally “chooses badly” even in top London restaurants. Here she was just bowled over. I can’t remember the last time that happened.
The cauliflower soup was incredible. Her lamb was the best of a faultless main selection.

Just an extremely rare experience.
I often love the food in NZ restaurants but this was simply on a different level.

  There have been a few places we have eaten in that were memorable but this is certainly one of them. Nothing we ate or drank came short of the mark... read more and the service attentive and overall experience notable. We both had the Ora King Salmon, tempura soft shell crab, avocado, soy glaze, grapefruit gel, pickled radish, fennel. Remarkable and perfect in every way. Our mains were the free range pork belly, crumbed rib, tomato relish, bok choy, broccoli, hot sauce, white bbq sauce, crispy kale, and the aged beef fillet, red onion relish, onion caramel, café de paris, potato dauphines. Both were faultless. Desserts were unbaked fig cheesecake and the salted caramel set mousse. With all this came a complimentary amuse-gueule to start and a surprise course for our wedding anniversary (which I had casually mentioned when I had booked). All in all a huge treat and one of the best meals out we have experienced (and we have a surfeit of restaurants in Wellington to compare). So nice to read that other reviewers have felt the same way. Keep on doing what you do!

  We had an absolutely lovely dinner at Bistro Gentil. The service was good and the food was fabulous. We had the French onion soup, both croquettes, oyster, green salad, carrots,... read more seafood dish and steaks——all prepared beautifully. The wine was good (not great). The setting is beautiful, too. We definitely would return if we are in Wanaka again.

  Onion soup was wonderful. My husband had the lamb & I had the duck.. both dishes were done perfectly. Service was excellent

  We spontaneously went to the bistro in the evening. Without reservation and got a place outside. It was quite cold, but okay, since we had not reserved a table. We... read more got the menu and when we wanted to order, the waiter said we had to...More

  One of Wanaka's top rated restaurants with fine dining, Bistro Gentil didnt disappoint. Nestled on a road above the town - we walked two miles there - it was packed... read more full. For starters we had tomato and chilli soup and a seared salmon starter and...More

  We came here on the recommendation of our hotel, and had a thoroughly enjoyable evening. The views were stunning (although we wished we could have sat on the terrace area... read more to fully appreciate the views), and the food was very good. We ordered the tasting...More

  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 outlook.