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
  • Mushroom croquette, aioli/6 ea
  • Salt cod croquette, preserved lemon mayonnaise/7 ea
  • Duck croquette, damson relish, parsnip purée/7 ea
  • Croque-madame croquette, fried egg mayonnaise, cured egg yolk/8 ea
  • Chicken liver parfait cigar, quince paste, ash/8 ea
  • 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
  • Yellowfin tuna, leche de tigre, avocado mousse, cucumber, pickled red onion, puffed rice, tapioca cracker/27
  • Baked goat cheese, beetroot relish, roasted butternut, walnut crumb, crispy kale, butternut purée/25

Principals:

  • Deboned duck leg, creamy duck breast, mushroom, leeks, plum chutney, parsnip purée cider jus/53
  • Market fish, vongole, potato darphin, parsnip purée, bouillabaisse lobster sauce, spring onion and chives/50
  • Royalburn lamb rump, sundried tomatoes, aubergine purée, fried potatoes, walnuts, pickled onions/53
  • Salt-baked swede, smoked labneh, pumpkin seeds, black garlic gel, vietnamese oil, puffed rice/44
  • 200g Angus reserve beef fillet, red onion relish, potato dauphines, café de paris butter, onion caramel/65
  • 200g Pork tenderloin rolled in bacon, green beans, pickled mustard seeds, celeriac purée, dukkah spices, jus/55

Accompagnements:

  • Bistro’s signature truffle fries/15
  • Perlas potatoes, crème fraiche, parsley, leek ash/17
  • Fried brussels sprouts, medlar dressing, preserved lemon mayonnaise/15
  • Steamed broccoli, blue cheese sauce, pumpkin seeds/16

Trust The Chef:

  • 3 Course $69
  • 4 Course $79
  • 5 Course $95

Our Trust the Chef menu for May is designed as a true seasonal dining experience, inviting you to step back and let our kitchen lead the way. Available in either 4 or 5 courses, each menu is thoughtfully curated by the chef to highlight the best produce of the moment. While it may occasionally draw inspiration from our à la carte offerings, the dishes are composed to create a more complete and expressive journey.

Desserts:

  • Mini Bistro dessert /8
  • Vanilla crème brûlée, peanut crumb, berry sorbet/20
  • Plum cheesecake, banana chips & caramelised, banana crumb/20
  • Dark chocolate mousse, chocolate custard, crumbs, sea salt tuile/20
  • Pear and blueberry compote, oat crumble, frozen yoghurt, dulce de leche /19
  • 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


Bon appétit !

  • star rating  Fabulous meal, thet best we have eaten in a long time. Easily beats the #1 rated place.

    Best on a nice day, to eat outside.

    avatar thumb rbertolott
    January 14, 2020

  • star rating  I went to Bistro Gentil for dinner with my friends last week. Everyone loved it! Delicious and beautifully presented dishes, I personally had the pork belly, the fish and the... read more

    avatar thumb AnniePnz
    August 23, 2022

  • star rating  The best food in Wanaka by far.
    Great location, great view and great menu.
    Clean and just yummy, i recommend it to anyone wishing to have a decent diner away... read more

    avatar thumb Navigator66874518586
    November 1, 2023

  • star rating  This establishment is in itself a reason to visit Wanaka. The food was excellent. I enjoyed the best steak I have eaten in recent memory. My partner commented that... read more

    avatar thumb 605regk
    May 3, 2019

  • star rating  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.

    avatar thumb christianrD6666CP
    December 25, 2019

  • star rating  Tasty food, presented well. I felt the sauce on the aged steak masked the flavour of the steak a bit, but apart from that it was good. The proportions of... read more

    avatar thumb 943felixl
    October 25, 2021

  • star rating  Really great place. We loved the location very much. Friday night and lots of locals there. Very friendly staff. Food tastet exquisit. Wonderful wines. It is a small place so... read more

    avatar thumb Christine8046
    February 20, 2024

  • star rating  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

    avatar thumb 757_Judith
    September 30, 2018

  • star rating  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

    avatar thumb SunValleyTravellers
    February 11, 2024

  • star rating  We visited Bistro Gentil last night and had a wonderful experience. We outside which was nice and cozy with the fires going under the canape. We had the steak tartare... read more

    avatar thumb BoabGlen
    May 28, 2021

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

Top