We were grateful to get in on a Saturday night after another group cancelled - but after overnight rain their carpark was flooded so we had to park in a... read more muddy road side area - maybe an omen of what was to come.
However that cancellation did not do us any favours.
Three of us had "Trust the chef" suggestions- well I dont think I would trust him with my grandma - entrees were a pastry case ( read pappadum) filled with tasteless array of shredded meats and a few blobs of cornichon puree ( gherkin puree) to pretty up the plate . Somewhat disappointed we were then looking forward to our suprise main meal - what we got was fatty, slimy glutinous pork slices with green beans and roast potatoes- the pork was inedible for one of us - and the plate was returned uneaten. The saving grace was the crunchy roast potatoes....Our other dining partner had ordered off the a la carte menu - a good move - French onion soup which proved to be delicious followed by a rib eye steak and dauphin potatoes. Wish we had not Trusted the Chef - very very disappointed overall and over priced pretentious French cuisine.

  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 the salmon in the start was laughably small. I suppose you could argue its fine dining...but it didn't look like it took a lot of effort to justify the price of the starter compared to other places I've been... Which served better tasting salmon dish. Overall worth the visit, great views, but don't necessarily expect to be blown away by the cuisine

  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 dinner here and it was super! Up on a hill with views out to the lake and across from a golf course. Beef tartare , fish and sorbet... read more with local wine. Delicious meal with great friendly service.

  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

  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 staying for dinner. So we did.
The views are lovely and the sun shining in on us was warming as we were welcomed by a wonderful host for our wine tasting. In the end, over a little over an hour, we enjoyed three tasting trays between the two of us before moving on to dinner. Our wine host was knowledgeable, helpful but never in our faces or the slightest bit pushy. It was all about enjoying the day.
Our dinner also proved to be stunning with great but again not in-your-face service. We enjoyed beautifully presented and delicious amuse bouches, tartare for entree, the duck for main, a delightful palate cleanser and creme brulee that I have to rate as the best I have ever tried. All the food was amazing. And the wines included a wide range of Maude wines but also a wide range of wines from other vineyards.
Rather than just a night out, this turned into the pinnacle of our 4 days of dining and wining around Wanaka.

  Beautiful food, great service and one of the best views in Wanaka, what more could you want for a casual meal with your partner. It’s great for a special occasion... read more or just a casual date night!

A great selection of entrees and starters, the tuna was amazing and really brought out the wine we had chosen.

Menu is well thought out and we really enjoyed the steaks; a great cut of meat and the sides that accompanied are amazing.

We had some beautiful amuse-bouche throughout our meal, the savoury profiteroles were different but made you want more.

The pastry chef is fantastic, a great range of well put together desserts was a great finish to the meal.

100% would recommend to all visiting or living in Wanaka.

  A final night dinner for our first trip down preparing for a big race later this year. The whole experience from arrival to completion was flawless, the atmosphere is very... read more relaxed and the staff do a great job at keeping it that way. Great decor and layout, the gentleman who advised it’s warm under the heaters outside was spot on. Food was sublime and we enjoyed the 3 course offer plus a few wines. Will definitely return.
On a side note I beloved you were understaffed last night but your staff made it seem easy running on the 2 front of house staff.
Will return next time for sure

  We have a meal here each time we visit Wanaka, about 4 times each year. The food is always excellent- always a special night.

  This was a return visit to Wanaka and dinner at Bistro Gentil the first thing booked. Though a Monday, the bistro was open, but not busy. All diners accommodated easily... read more in the outdoor terrace section, for a glorious sunset. It's easy to get too comfortable in the woollen-rugged chairs. Service was attentive but not rushed. We had 'space' between entrees and main to sit and relax and imbibe.

Starters were oysters (fresh!), chicken liver parfait (made into 'cigars' and served in glass ashtrays - incredible), and soft shell crab (yum).

For entree we both had the French onion soup. This was a no-brainer and didn't disappoint. I had thought about going large but the waitress assured me the small size would give me space to complete mains. She was right. Tick.

For mains we had the duck (special) and I had the Red Tussocks venison, with truffle fries. Just divine, and both cooked just enough.

For dessert I had the vanilla brûlée. OMG what a treat.

The wine list was smaller than I remembered and a bit odd. Mostly wines made by the winery upon which grounds the bistro sits and provides wine-tastings for, but some others including one from Italy and one from France. I chose the Clos Marguerite Pinot Noir 2019 and it was sublime.

Overall, our expectations had been high and they were met.