Tucked in a fairly ‘local’ food plaza off of Huangpu Avenue, where shoppers still do head-turns upon spotting laowai, Slow Life is reassuringly chicer than its surroundings.

Inside, ‘mixed-culture’ decor – a blend of Chinese porcelain tile flooring and Scandinavian furniture – creates a sleek, modern vibe, while rustic ‘Welcome’ signs hung with twine and a wall of fresh herbs grown onsite make the space feel homey. 

Marketing itself as an organic, health-conscious restaurant, Slow Life also doubles as a foreign grocery store. Currently, a modest range of imported goodies are in stock for prices well under Ole’s, though cofounder Johnny Ding tells us slow-cooked meats (prepared and then frozen) as well as washed and cut organic vegetables from the restaurant’s farm in Qingyuan will be available soon.