The quaint bistro surrounded by lavender sits just outside of town, offering tranquil lake views and beautiful sunsets. An ideal way to spend your evening.

“Indulge in the classics from our À La Carte menu such as French Onion Soup, Beef Tartare or Crème Brûlée.“

Why not spend the day sampling local award-winning wine here at the Maude Tasting Room and book in for dinner.

Bienvenue au Bistro Gentil

TRUST THE CHEF 3-COURSE TASTING $79 pp

Indulge in a culinary journey curated by our talented chefs. Sit back, relax, and let us surprise you with a thoughtfully crafted 3-course menu highlighting seasonal ingredients and inventive flavours.

WEDNESDAY CLASSIC TRIO $79 pp

Join us every Wednesday for a delightful 3-course experience at Bistro, featuring some of our timeless classics for just $79 per person. Enjoy a French onion soup, a perfectly cooked reserve beef filet, and a decadent crème brûlée to finish. It’s a midweek treat you won’t want to miss!

APPETISERS

• Chicken liver parfait cigar, quince paste, ash /8
• Rosemary ciabatta and Bistro’s compound butter/9
• Manuka smoked olives /8
• Wild mushroom croquette, aioli /11

POTAGES

(GIVE ME A TASTE, OR JUST HAVE ONE!)

• French onion soup, gruyere crouton /13/21
• Soup of the day /11/18

ENTREES

INDIVIDUAL OR SHARING

• Aged beef fillet tartare, radish, egg yolk, soy gel, miso mayo, crispy shallots, croutons /24
• Roasted butternut, walnut pesto, smoked mozzarella, tamari seeds, sundried tomato, lemon/23
• Seared swordfish, smoked buttermilk, kaffir lime oil, orange gel, pickle daikon, squid ink tapioca/26

• Earth board, selection of 3 cheeses, house chutney, walnut, croutons, ciabatta /35

PRINCIPALS

• Market fish, squid ink emulsion, cauliflower textures, prawns, beurre blanc, chives/46
• 200g reserve beef fillet, garlic mash potatoes, spinach, onion caramel, blue cheese butter/57
• Lumina lamb rump, butternut, tamari seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, chorizo /47
• Roasted beetroot, hazelnut rye crumb, sumac labneh, smoked beetroot purée, fennel seed /38
• Red Tussocks venison, carrots, peach chutney, kale, harissa & garlic oil/47

ACCOMPAGNEMENTS

• Bistro’s signature truffle fries/14
• Winter vegetable medley, maple glaze /15
• Fried Brussels sprouts, apple dressing, hot sauce mayonnaise, peanuts /14
• Peas, shallots, bacon, crispy kale/13
• Creamy mash potatoes with confit garlic & chives/13

DESSERTS

• Vanilla crème brûlée, peanut crumb, boysenberry burst sorbet /20
• Lemon roulade, hazelnut praline, lemon gel, candied hazelnut, limoncello ice cream/19
• Choux pastry, mascarpone, blackcurrant gel, sponges, pistachio ice cream/19
• Selection of house made ice cream and sorbets /18
• Dame blanche, vanilla ice cream, hot chocolate ganache, nuts/18
• Mini Bistro dessert /8
• Affogato, vanilla ice cream, espresso, liqueur of choice /23

Feel like a sweet wine?

• Pegasus Bay Finale Noble Sauv Blanc /18
• Campbells Rutherglen Muscat /16
  Bon appétit !

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!