Bistro Gentil

  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 from Bistro Gentil was my main point of contact from my first email, and she was so helpful and accommodating with all of our requests. On the night, I was thrilled when I found that she was also our host for the evening. We opted for the 5 course tasting menu with matched wines, and Sinead was very happy to accommodate deviations to the menu for those with dietary restrictions or non-drinkers. Every single dish was world class, and the wines were some of the best I've ever tasted. The atmosphere of the restaurant was warm and welcoming and we loved having our own little private area with stunning views for the night. We are so happy that we chose Bistro Gentil to top off the best day of our lives!

  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.

  This is hands down the best meal i had during my entire 14 days trip in the South Island. Definitely amongst the top 10 meals , I had for ... read more past 18 months, which is saying a lot, since i have visited some top tier cities/countries...More

  I went here with a group of people for dinner. I had heard great things about the place so was looking forward to trying it for myself. I had the... read more french onion soup, fish of the day and the gingerbread cheesecake. Every dish was delicious...More

  We had this restaurant recommended by one of our hosts on the rail trail plus it starred on Trip Advisor
Great service great food kiwi/ French and tight but well... read more thought out wine list reflecting the restaurant is Maude Wines tasting room during the day
The crème brûlée was the very best I have had in a long time
Will be back

  Been traveling throughout New Zealand for about 3 weeks now. Wanaka is a great town to rest on the way to/from the west coast. After reviewing other TripAdvisor restaurant ratings,... read more we called to make a reservation. On this particular night, the menu was called “chefs choice” rather than their published a la carte choices. My wife’s a vegetarian, but they assured us she would be provided with vegetarian options. We both thought that this was one of the most outstanding dinners we have had in New Zealand. The sauces and flavor pairings for each of our entree and main courses was exceptional. They also have excellent wines, and it’s all served in a beautiful small restaurant setting overlooking the lake. We rate this a solid 5 stars.

  This is now probably the best place to eat in Wanaka. We tried the competition but this place wins. The onion soup is a wow - even a teenager would... read more like it. The rest of the menu is carefully curated and will not disapoint.

  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 perfect.

  One of our best meals during our 3-week holiday in New Zealand! Beautiful setting just outside Wanaka, friendly service, warm casual atmosphere and outstanding food! Creative, very well prepared and... read more presented dishes using the best local ingredients. For six of us, to begin our meal,...More

  We were very excited to be going to this restaurant as we had heard lots of good things about it. We were part of a group of six celebrating our... read more friends very special wedding anniversary.
The most disappointing dish was the lamb which two of the party had. This dish was totally overpowered by the sausage!. The other members of our party were also very underwhelmed by their meals although we would have to say we couldn’t fault the service.
Sadly we will not be recommending this very overpriced restaurant to our many friends who regularly visit Wanaka.