Bistro Gentil

  Highly recommend reservation to avoid disappointment - parking at the rear or on the front or better still get a taxi - this is not really a place for young... read more children/younger teens (no kids menu) it’s more for adults wanting fine dining experience - Bistro Gentile is in a fabulous location and even better if it’s a nice day/evening and you can reserve a table with lake view - dine in or on the covered outside area - lovely decor inside - can get chilly on the outside covered area but there are heaters overhead or take a shawl if it’s going to be a chilly evening/day - staff are super friendly - GF diners be wowed as nearly everything on the menu can be made GF (it does not say what’s GF or DF etc on the menu which would be nice and makes it more easy but staff are super helpful) the food is amazing cooked to perfection whatever your choice is - the food presentation is fabulous - a lovely selection of wine, cocktails and soft drinks - we were a party of 4 - our choice ratings best: tartare or soft goats cheese or salmon all totally amazing - mains: beef fillet or hanger steak or market fish accompanied with french fries with yummy truffle salt, spring carrots again totally amazing - we couldn’t leave without me having my all time favourite: creme brûlée which was and always is exceptional - if you’ve got time to treat yourself or a special occasion then this is the restaurant to dine at in Wanaka, it’s exceptionally the best. Okay you may pay more but it’s totally worth it. Well done to Bistro Gentile for being such a fabulous restaurant.

  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 the service industry. She was rushing us to order the food when we first sat down. Every table received a jar of water but because we did not order alcohol she did not bring the water jar to our table even after we requested it. She rarely came to check on our table and when we tried to get her attention by waiving at her a few times she just ignored. At the end I brought her the attention to refill us water on my way to the washroom. She came 10 minutes later and still did not bring us any water until after we ordered the dessert.

Their onion soup was good. Their fish and venison, and desserts have appealing display but tastes average.

  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 and salmon for starters, the duck and lamb for main then the creme brule and caramel moose for dessert. Could not fault a thing! A taste sensation that I will not forget. Can't recommend this place enough. Will be back running sharpish. AWESOME!

  What a dinner! Drinks, food, service and atmosphere were unbelievable, and very good looking chefs. Excatly what you are looking for on a girls night out.Good size portions; they don't... read more skimp on food here. French onion soup was a meal in itself. And if you are a dessrt person, be sure to stop here. Will definitely be back.

  Totally blown away by the experience. Great food, wine and service. As locals, we tended to stick to ‘tried & tester’ but was game to try something for our Silver... read more Wedding Anniversary. It did not disappoint and will definitely book in for special occasions. My husband enjoyed trying a couple of wines with the meal. All the dishes were very well presented, were tasty and interesting. Thanks for a special evening

  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 options cover a good spectrum. The self serve wine wall is a cool option. You...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.

  Lovely location with great views. Food delicious. Outside eating. Loved the "credit card" and wine dispenser

  Rare is it that I find a restaurant that can satisfy my tastes and feel comfortable dining in - the portions are just the right size, not too small or... read more large, and the atmosphere was warm and cosy, not to mention the vegetarian main was to die for. It’s incredibly difficult to make nice vegetarian/vegan food let alone amazing vegetarian/vegan food! its almost a shame there weren’t more vegetarian options on the menu to explore but they seemed very accommodating to special dietary requirements checking in with me numerous times before preparing the dishes and serving. You could tell that they really paid attention to great flavour combinations when crafting the menu, not just for the sake of coming across experimental.
I tend to struggle with regular dining experiences because of stomach issues but the food was easy for me to stomach without sacrificing unique flavour. Bonus - there is a mock tail of the moment (different every time) and you get a surprise amuse bouche between each course.
Overall I was thoroughly impressed and can’t wait to visit again!

  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 a proper volume. The highlight of the evening was the excellent food. The menu was short but everything we were ordered was impeccably prepared. My wife and I both ordered the fish entree which was brill with a cauliflower purée. We also ordered a couple of other mains and an appetizer which were delicious. Great wine selection. Highly recommended, best meal we’ve had in New Zealand so far.