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, pear chutney/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
  • 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, pear chutney, cider jus/53
  • Market fish, prawns, 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 artichoke textures, confit apples, 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

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

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

Seared yellowfin tuna, buttermilk dashi, wakame, pickled fennel, citrus kosho, sesame tapioca cracker 

Pairing: TWR 2022 Riesling, Marlborough, NZ

Course 4: 

Wildshot venison, caramelised cauliflower purée, brussels sprouts, crispy bacon, roasted hazelnuts and marmite jus 

Pairing: Le Gentil 2022 Pinot Noir, Wanaka, NZ

OR 

Market fish, prawns, potato darphin, parsnip purée, bouillabaisse lobster sauce, spring onion and chives 

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  Outside of Wanaka but worth the drive up. Great view across the golf course to the lake and the mountains beyond it. Food was very good but on a busy... read more

    avatar thumb jamesl680
    December 4, 2023
  • star rating  Eye watering prices mediocre food. Not fresh not tasty.Very pretentious.They call it french cuisine but I doubt any frenchman would want to make that comparison.

    avatar thumb Rwh011
    November 18, 2020
  • star rating  We happened upon Bistro Gentil by accident. During the day it’s the tasting Room for Maudes Winery. Each night it transforms into a casual but totally decadent restaurant, serving some... read more

    avatar thumb TorontoTraveler_2008
    December 31, 2018
  • star rating  We had high expectations and it delivered. First off the wine experience is top notch. The ability to taste all types wines before you get a bottle is... read more

    avatar thumb Pete P
    March 24, 2019
  • star rating  Gorgeous cosy space, wine tasting by Maude by Day. Gourmet dinner by night. Special occasion or just treat yourself, this is by far the best restaurant in Wanaka. Staff friendly... read more

    avatar thumb GooseGirl555
    September 18, 2020
  • star rating  Fabulous. Great location, friendly service, and delicious food. Te loved everything about the meal. They have a card on each table and you are able to sample... read more

    avatar thumb LarryandTim
    January 21, 2019
  • star rating  Amazing! We loved this place, great food, wines and service. Right from when you pull in the driveway and see the whole place lit up like a Christmas tree you... read more

    avatar thumb ChrisD1982
    July 30, 2018
  • 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  Wow! Top class food that is probably one of the best in NZ, friendly and attentive service and to top it off outstanding views. Can not recommend this any higher!... read more

    avatar thumb Amy098765
    January 25, 2020
  • star rating  We had an enjoyable birthday dinner at the cozy and romantic Bistro Gentil. The Chef and his team put much love into their dishes. They are beautifully plated. The menu... read more

    avatar thumb John W
    October 12, 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

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