Bistro Gentil

Bistro Gentil is an absolute gem — refined, relaxed, and quietly exceptional. Nestled just outside central Wanaka, with sweeping views of Lake Wanaka and the Southern Alps, it offers not just a meal, but an experience. The menu is thoughtful and seasonal, balancing French inspiration with the best of Central Otago produce. Every dish was beautifully plated, full of flavour, and executed with precision. The wine list is equally impressive, with a strong selection of local wines (including their own Maison Gentil label), and pairings that genuinely elevate the meal. Service was warm, knowledgeable, and unpretentious — a rare and welcome combination. You never feel rushed, only genuinely looked after. Bistro Gentil is the kind of place where time slows down. Whether you’re there for a sunset dinner, or just a glass of wine overlooking the vines, it’s a spot you won’t soon forget. Highly recommended.

This was one of the best meals I’ve had not only during my time in New Zealand, but in my whole life, and I’d like to consider myself a foodie. Everything from the French onion soup to the market fish to the dessert. The staff was wonderful as well, and the glass of rosé from Maude was also the best rosé I’ve ever had. Truly a wonderful meal with a fantastic ambience and view!

I had the best fillet steak I've ever eaten in my life here. The sauce was so tasty and the steak cooked perfectly. The Maude Sauvignon blanc wine is delicious and the views over Wanaka are stunning! 🍷highly recommend!!

Amazing! Loved this cozy restaurant setting. Heating and blankets supplied. Was husbands desired place for his 50th birthday and the food was so good. I have some dietary requirements and the staff were so lovely and accommodating. Red wine I ordered from a Wanaka estate was delicious too. Highly recommend! Parking is at the back. They were kind enough to let me bring in a vegan carrot cake too that was specially made for the birthday.

We had dinner at Bistro Gentil tonight and honestly, it was the best meal we’ve had on this trip — hands down. This French gem in Wānaka delivered on every level. We went with the Trust the Chef 4-course menu, and it was the perfect choice. Every dish that came out was beautifully presented, perfectly balanced, and full of flavour. It felt like the kitchen was telling a story, and we were lucky enough to sit and listen. A special mention goes to the lamb — and I say this as someone who almost never eats lamb. It was unbelievably tender, full of depth, and cooked to perfection. I’m still thinking about it. The setting is elegant but relaxed, and the service was warm, knowledgeable, and just the right level of attentive. If you’re in Wānaka and looking for a dinner that feels like an experience, not just a meal — this is the place.

We tried all the popular restaurants in Wanaka and this one is definitely the best! We had an amazing birthday meal and the service was excellent. The servers were attentive and very friendly. It is located on top of a small hill so if you can have a table next to the window you'll have the best view of the lake and mountains in town. The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious so you can comfortably enjoy the great food. Hightlights were the swordfish and beef tartare as starters, the venison and the beef as mains and the seasonal rhubarb for dessert! Thank you to the chefs and the wait staff for an unforgettable evening! ☺️

Absolutely flawless - outstanding food, service, and a wonderful atmosphere. Truly some of the best food we’ve ever had, and very reasonably priced.

Absolutely amazing! I was there last night for a staff dinner, there were 15 of us. To keep things easy we chose the 4 courses for $65pp. The kitchen was able to accommodate dietaries and the food came out smoothly. No wait at all and every course was served for everyone at the same time. Delicious food plus we were well looked after by the front of house team. Definitely affordable for the experience you get. Highly recommend!

Wonderful experience at Bistro Gentil. This restaurant serves up delicious food with a gorgeous view. Excellent service and overall ambiance. My only call out is be careful when choosing your seat - this patio is spectacular but in the sun for part of the afternoon and it gets quite bright and hot. About halfway through the meal I found myself baking in the sun, which wasn't as comfortable as I would have liked.

Quaint, cosy, friendly. The team at BG are always out to impress and deliver an amazing meal and dining experience. by far the best fine dining in Wanaka. Make sure you book!

This is a must if you visit wanaka. Is a little of of town but don't let that stop you. This is great. Good service, great atmosphere, food fresh. Local, with a kiwi French Twist. really good. They have a hood wine list, by also have this wine dispenser that you can Just good up to and get a 1/3,.1/2.,or full glass of many different types of wines . Great idea. And otago has some great wines , world class.

I was recommended this restaurant and took my special guest for what appeared a lovely dinner. We both had identical meals of entre and mains. My guest spent the night vomiting and I woke up with mild diarrhoea. We had not eaten anything other than a scone all day so we had no doubt where the food poisoning came from. I notified Bistro Gentil of this and hugely disappointed in their response. Said they were sorry but not convincing in there reply. I would be reluctant to eat there again. I could not recommend this restaurant as a safe place Tor dine and I am sending report to Council Health Officials.

Just extraordinary. The staff is the definition of nice. Such good service. The restaurant itself is intimate and quiet. Lovely place to have a nice dinner. We found great food to eat dispite that the menu is not that big. The wine menu was really good. They also have special wine dispensers. You can have tastes from different types of wines for a fair price. The food itself was tasty. Really good use of spices and fresh ingredients. This is a must if you're in Wanaka!

Was quite disappointed with Bistro Gentil. I had been really excited to try this restaurant and had booked in advance. The staff are lovely and know the menu well but the food was very average. Meal sizes were tiny compared to the prices of the meals. We had the duck and the pork and to say I was upset with the food would be an understatement! Maybe I just had big expectations? The wine list however is lovely and they have an amazing machine in there that you grab a glass and get a card and you insert the card and choose a wine and you can get either half a glass, full glass or a taster all for very reasonable prices

Absolutely OUTSTANDING!!! Great warm, spacious cozy seating. The tables were not too close to the neighboring tables. Service was prompt and the staff was very knowledgeable about the foods and wine! We started with oysters, DEVINE!!! Fresh with iced lemon on top! We shared the lamb which was melt in your mouth flavorful and texture! A side dish of peas, kale and bacon was cooked to perfection!!! The wines would make Bacchus envious!!! EAT HERE!!!

Absolutely amazing experience. Wonderful staff and the food is incredible. Love the wine tasting which you can self serve however you'd like. The manager Kenny was exceptional and gave us interesting tid bits on all the great art in the restaurant. Great place, highly recommend it.

Stopped for a quick afternoon snack. Fantastic food and wine selection and amazing views.

Friendly upscale restaurant with overdecorated food This restaurant is located adjacent to a golf course a little outside of Wanaka proper, with nice views to the lake in the far distance. The decor is modern and warm. Our table was on the terrace which had been enclosed with plastic screens. The restaurant offers an array of wines that one can buy by the glass or taste; this approach allowed us to explore our own wine pairings. The food was all stylishly presented, for the most part with too much visual garnish. For the most part, the main ingredients of the plates of the tasting menu were agreeable. However, by the end of the meal, it felt as if the energetic approach to busy garnishing overpowered the main flavors of the dishes. The cheese plate at the end of the meal epitomized this over-decoration. Our advice would be to tune down the visual garnish and let the ingredients speak for themselves.

This is a charming restaurant with very attentive servers, a small but delightful menu, and exquisite food. The seafood and the lamb were extraordinary. We particularly liked the self-serve wine bar that permits you to have a small taste or a full glass of an entire array of wines. This was as fine a dining experience as we had in New Zealand. The prices were high but the experience was really superlative.

Beautiful spot! The service was sweet and friendly all night. We did wait a wee bit for our food but it was so worth it. Lamb cooked to perfection and a delicious choc fondant. Gorgeous evening, loved it.