Bistro Gentil

  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 of the best food we’ve had anywhere in the world. Chef Mario is from South...More

  Went to Bistro Gentil last night with friends to celebrate my husbands birthday and had a wonderful night. The staff were absolutely lovely and nothing was too much trouble, they... read more were very accommodating with the surprise cake I had made and did not charge cakeage...More

  Great service and New Zealand produce with a french flair
large selection of Maude wine .
a proper Creme burlee , done they way it is meant to be

  This delightful bistro is about a 10 minute drive from the lakefront; and sits up on a hill with gorgeous views of Lake Wanaka. Sit outside on the patio if... read more the weather is nice. Nice menu variety - lamb, monkfish, duck. Everything is so tasty...More

  Joined friends for dinner and enjoyed a superb meal with a great selection of local wines.
One of the best dining experiences we have had in Wanaka. Starting with the... read more service and assistance from very well trained and polite staff.
Not a huge menu but choices to savour. Beautiful presentation, good sized portion and an excellent description of each course.
Very highly recommended - pricy but you get what you pay for in this restaurant.

  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 us down. We decided to go with the “Chefs choice” and that did disappoint. The staff...More

  We are visiting NZ and I wanted somewhere really good to take my wife for her 60th birthday. This place definitely did the trick! The service was friendly and first... read more class! I'd mentioned my wife's birthday when I booked. This had been noted and when her dessert came it had 'Happy 60th Birthday' inscribed in chocolate sauce! A very nice touch. The food was also first class. There was plenty of atmosphere and at least two other birthday celebrations happening.

  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

  Like Kika, really really good food. Great atmosphere, great local produce, sophisticated dining and delicious meals. Highly recommend if visiting Wanaka.

  This was a return visit to Wanaka and dinner at Bistro Gentil the first thing booked. Though a Monday, the bistro was open, but not busy. All diners accommodated easily... read more in the outdoor terrace section, for a glorious sunset. It's easy to get too comfortable in the woollen-rugged chairs. Service was attentive but not rushed. We had 'space' between entrees and main to sit and relax and imbibe.

Starters were oysters (fresh!), chicken liver parfait (made into 'cigars' and served in glass ashtrays - incredible), and soft shell crab (yum).

For entree we both had the French onion soup. This was a no-brainer and didn't disappoint. I had thought about going large but the waitress assured me the small size would give me space to complete mains. She was right. Tick.

For mains we had the duck (special) and I had the Red Tussocks venison, with truffle fries. Just divine, and both cooked just enough.

For dessert I had the vanilla brûlée. OMG what a treat.

The wine list was smaller than I remembered and a bit odd. Mostly wines made by the winery upon which grounds the bistro sits and provides wine-tastings for, but some others including one from Italy and one from France. I chose the Clos Marguerite Pinot Noir 2019 and it was sublime.

Overall, our expectations had been high and they were met.