Bistro Gentil

  In a tourist town its not always a good sign when you see a bus at your dining destination. Some things feel best kept off the package-tour radar. ... read more A large table of casually clad tourists dominated the main dining room but fortunately we were escorted...More

  Been traveling throughout New Zealand for about 3 weeks now. Wanaka is a great town to rest on the way to/from the west coast. After reviewing other TripAdvisor restaurant ratings,... read more we called to make a reservation. On this particular night, the menu was called “chefs choice” rather than their published a la carte choices. My wife’s a vegetarian, but they assured us she would be provided with vegetarian options. We both thought that this was one of the most outstanding dinners we have had in New Zealand. The sauces and flavor pairings for each of our entree and main courses was exceptional. They also have excellent wines, and it’s all served in a beautiful small restaurant setting overlooking the lake. We rate this a solid 5 stars.

  Before we went here we had only reviews to go on. The website suggests going up in the afternoon, enjoying the stunning views of the lake over a wine-tasting and... read more staying for dinner. So we did.
The views are lovely and the sun shining in on us was warming as we were welcomed by a wonderful host for our wine tasting. In the end, over a little over an hour, we enjoyed three tasting trays between the two of us before moving on to dinner. Our wine host was knowledgeable, helpful but never in our faces or the slightest bit pushy. It was all about enjoying the day.
Our dinner also proved to be stunning with great but again not in-your-face service. We enjoyed beautifully presented and delicious amuse bouches, tartare for entree, the duck for main, a delightful palate cleanser and creme brulee that I have to rate as the best I have ever tried. All the food was amazing. And the wines included a wide range of Maude wines but also a wide range of wines from other vineyards.
Rather than just a night out, this turned into the pinnacle of our 4 days of dining and wining around Wanaka.

  Beautiful food, great service and one of the best views in Wanaka, what more could you want for a casual meal with your partner. It’s great for a special occasion... read more or just a casual date night!

A great selection of entrees and starters, the tuna was amazing and really brought out the wine we had chosen.

Menu is well thought out and we really enjoyed the steaks; a great cut of meat and the sides that accompanied are amazing.

We had some beautiful amuse-bouche throughout our meal, the savoury profiteroles were different but made you want more.

The pastry chef is fantastic, a great range of well put together desserts was a great finish to the meal.

100% would recommend to all visiting or living in Wanaka.

  The food was spectacular. We both had the duck with the maple syrup yams and it was all exceptional- easily 10/10. It was one of the best mains we have... read more ever had. The creme brûlée was also amazing. Would definitely recommend here for dinner.

  Bistro Gentil was absolutely amazing! Price is fantastic, servings are very generous and the staff go far beyond to make your evening so special. I cannot fault one thing about... read more this restaurant. They made our evening perfect, from answering all and any of our questions about the menu, to generously providing us with a glass of bubbles to celebrate my partners birthday. The food was incredible. With every bite, the texture and taste of these meals was even better than I was expecting.

Perfect. Sensational. Incredible. We will be back, time and time again

  We ate here during our three night stay in Wanaka and it was absolutely delicious. Both dishes were perfectly cooked and delightfully flavoured. Service was relaxed and friendly, a good... read more selection of wine on an enomatic machine so you can try a number. Highly recommend...More

  Delicious modern French cuisine served in a cute restaurant overlooking the hills in Wanaka. Service took a little too long though, but overall was a good experience.

  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 he didn't disappoint! Yes, the food is a little pricey but you get your money's worth. Plus the wine list was great, I was impressed with all my selections including the local MAUDE wines. When I'm back in NZ, I'll make the trip to Wanaka just to eat here again!

  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 past 18 months, which is saying a lot, since i have visited some top tier cities/countries...More