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, plum kasundi/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
  • Fresh asparagus, slow cooked egg, goat cheese espuma, puffed buckwheat/25

Principals:

  • Deboned duck leg, creamy leeks, mushroom & duck breast, kasundi, 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, hazelnuts/54
  • Jerusalem artichokes, pomegranate dressing, mushroom purée, smoked labneh, black garlic gel, cashews/44
  • 200g beef fillet, red onion relish, potato dauphines, café de paris butter, onion caramel/65
  • Confit pork belly, jerusalem artichoke textures, confit apples, mustard seeds, cider jus, shallots/53

Accompagnements:

  • Bistro’s signature truffle fries/15
  • Confit potatoes, raclette cheese, proscuitto, cornichons/17
  • Fried brussels sprouts, medlar dressing, preserved lemon mayonnaise/15
  • Roasted pumpkin. ricotta salata, crispy shallots/16

Desserts:

  • Mini Bistro dessert /8
  • Vanilla crème brûlée, peanut crumb, berry sorbet/20
  • Kiwi fruit textures, almond dacquoise, mascarpone/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, proscuitto, 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  Loved the food, the wine, the atmosphere and the service. The steak and the pork were amazing, the chefs dessert converted my partner to desserts, and the wine was lovely.... read more

    avatar thumb Bri1966
    December 12, 2019
  • 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  One of Wanaka's top rated restaurants with fine dining, Bistro Gentil didnt disappoint. Nestled on a road above the town - we walked two miles there - it was packed... read more

    avatar thumb shaunsouthern
    January 10, 2019
  • star rating  Situated near the Golf Club,a bit out of town,this establishment is a wine tasting room by day & a beaut restaurant by night specialising in local produce...We particularly enjoyed the... read more

    avatar thumb john241Caloundra
    May 15, 2018
  • 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  So glad we were able to snag a reservation at this lovely restaurant on our last night. The food was outstanding, the wines delicious, it had a lovely cosy atmosphere... read more

    avatar thumb JodieS397
    February 14, 2022
  • star rating  Authentic French with some touch of brilliant flavours! We had a range of selection from menu. Each and every one was exceptional. Taste is believing.

    avatar thumb 389joe
    August 12, 2022
  • star rating  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

    avatar thumb kellydZ8895PN
    January 13, 2020
  • star rating  It is sometimes said that there is no such thing as Perfection!

    Well there is and it’s the food at Bistrol Gentil!

    A fabulous experience!... read more

    avatar thumb Go42407
    March 27, 2021
  • star rating  My wife and I had a wonderful Sunday evening meal at Bistro Gentil. The food and service were exquisite. The atmosphere was perfect, not too loud, nice music but at... read more

    avatar thumb Alsek810
    March 3, 2024

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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