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, Canter Valley duck…”

— Mario Rodrigues, Head Chef

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.

Menu

Bienvenue au Bistro Gentil

Appetisers:

  • Oyster, mignonette/8 ea
  • Manuka smoked olives/8
  • Rosemary ciabatta and butter/9
  • Venison tartare, potato rosti/11 ea
  • Salt cod, preserved lemon mayonaise/7 ea
  • Fried goat’s cheese, peach chutney/6 ea
  • Chicken liver parfait cigar, quince paste, ash/8 ea
  • French onion soup, gruyere crouton/16/23
  • Earth board, selection of 3 cheeses, house chutney, walnut, croutons, ciabatta/36

Entrées:

  • Aged beef fillet tartare, radish, egg yolk, soy gel, miso mayo, crispy shallots, croutons/24
  • Seared swordfish, ginger ponzu, pickled persimmon, wasabi mayo, nori tapioca cracker/26
  • Salt-baked beetroot, smoked buffalo cheese curd, fennel oil, pickled beetroot, seed crackers/24

Principals:

  • Market fish, baby octopus, savoy cabbage, capers, citrus, brown butter, croutons/48
  • Red Tussocks venison loin, jerusalem artichoke, hazelnut, celeriac puree, black garlic jus, kale/51
  • Lumina lamb rump, swede and potato puree, brussel sprouts, salami crumb, truffle jus/51
  • 200g Reserve beef fillet, prawns, creamed spinach, dijon dressing/59
  • Jerusalem artichoke, chilli oil, faked almonds, celeriac puree, buffalo curd, spiced shallots/42

Accompagnements:

  • Bistro’s signature truffle fries/15
  • Roasted yams, orange and cranberry, spiced grains/16
  • Steamed brocoli, provolone and blue cheese sauce, pumpkins seeds/16

Trust The Chef:

  • 3 course/59
  • 4 course/69

Desserts:

  • Mini Bistro dessert /8
  • Vanilla crème brûlée, peanut crumb, berry sorbet/20
  • Chocolate fondant, crumb, orange sauce, salted caramel ice cream/20
  • Lemoncello syrup cake, whipped ricotta, pistachios/20
  • Dame Blanche, vanilla ice cream, hot chocolate ganache, nuts/18
  • Selection of house-made ice cream and sorbet/17
  • Affogato, vanilla ice cream, espresso, liqueur of choice /24


Bon appétit !

  • star rating  Fantastic location. Panoramic views of Lake Wanaka & Southern Alps. Excellent choice of beverages (including local wine) at reasonable prices. Great menu selection. Food and Service were excellent. Highly recommended

    avatar thumb Coralea56
    December 2, 2020
  • star rating  This restaurant has it all. Amazing location with views onto the lake, charming building and interior, a French inspired cuisine to die for and very kind and subtle staff. Just... read more

    avatar thumb Mausl2014
    March 20, 2019
  • star rating  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

    avatar thumb drstu61
    September 28, 2020
  • star rating  TA and our lodge host recommended this restaurant and booked for us. It was full and we can see why. Whilst it is not cheap ($100 a head... read more

    avatar thumb Myclare
    January 31, 2019
  • star rating  This is a busy casual place for lunch or dinner. In the evening, the bar scene is buzzing with locals, who all know each other and the lively barmaids on... read more

    avatar thumb Ted G
    January 7, 2019
  • star rating  Bistro Gentil is described in a major tourist brochure for Wanaka as '...our award winning restaurant ' and came up as #1 on Trip Advisor reviews. The online menu looked... read more

    avatar thumb Goodandsimple
    May 22, 2021
  • star rating  Delicious food, stunning view! Reasonably priced given the quality of food. Would definitely visit again.

    avatar thumb Christine R
    October 4, 2018
  • star rating  My husband (woo!) and I recently wed in an intimate ceremony in Wanaka, New Zealand, and we chose Bistro Gentil for our celebration dinner with our family that evening. Sinead... read more

    avatar thumb kimwaldo
    October 10, 2019
  • star rating  This place is amazing. We sat out on the terrace and the view of the mountains and lake is lovely.
    The food is to die for. We had the... read more

    avatar thumb Katie B
    November 7, 2021
  • star rating  We came here because of the good review but was very disappointed by the terrible service. The waitress with curly ponytail serving us this evening probably shouldn’t be working in... read more

    avatar thumb Cherche3
    February 19, 2024

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

Monday Closed

Tuesday to Sunday 6 pm – late  

To Make a Reservation
Click here

For Inquiries
Ph: 03 443 2299
Email: bistrogentilwanaka@gmail.com

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