Imagine walking into a cafe, and the first feeling that hits you is a sense of relaxation. Well, that is exactly how you would feel when you enter SLOW Mumbai. Known to be one of the newest aesthetic cafes by Palak Khimavat and Viraj Ghelani, SLOW Mumbai offers signature comfort dishes and specialty brews in a relaxed space. But what makes it different from other Mumbai cafes? Why is the name of the cafe so? Here’s an answer to all these and many such questions right from SLOW Mumbai’s co-founder, Palak Khimawat herself.
Palak Khimavat: A Passionate Dessert Chef Who Believes In The Magic Of Trials and Errors
Open Palak Khimavat’s Instagram, and her bio will simply surprise you. It reads: Ex-founder of The Messy House India, current founder of Healthy Mess and SLOW Mumbai. And that is not all, she also serves her culinary magic at Kuzala Supperclub. A multi-hyphenate woman who is simply passionate about feeding people with good, healthy food and witnessing their smiles after relishing it.
Palak has been baking since she was seven, and many trials and errors while mastering the art of baking and brewing have made her the person she is today. Palak does not believe in gatekeeping the secrets to success; she believes that “There is space for everybody to grow.”
After enjoying the love and appreciation she was showered with by happy customers over the years, Palak, with her husband Viraj Ghelani, launched SLOW Mumbai this December 2025.
SLOW Mumbai: Thought Behind Its Logo, Location & Concept
The first thing that talks about the identity of any cafe is its name, and with SLOW, it actually makes you question why it is named so. The reason is that Palak finds Mumbai very chaotic, so she and her team wanted to open a space where you just walk in, leave the chaos behind, and just slow down to enjoy the moment. The logo of the cafe also has a tilted ‘O’ which symbolizes being laid back.
This thought is another reason why Palak and her team have been hunting for a place for a very long time. They wanted a place that would help them bring the concept of SLOWing down to life with differentiated spaces. Each space offers a different vibe. And finally, they zeroed in at their current place after a hunt of 2 years, which is spread across three floors and has a lovely garden.
If you are thinking the cafe is in Bandra just because of its innovative concept, well, you are wrong! The cafe is situated in Mahavir Nagar, Kandivali, and the choice of location was also a well-thought-out decision.
Palak mentioned that whenever she had to relish some dish with cleaner ingredients or savor a good cup of coffee, she had to travel all the way to Bandra, and observed how she is not the only one. So when she and her team decided to launch SLOW, they knew they wanted to open it right here between Kandivali and Borivali. This would make sure that people do not have to travel all the way to Bandra, get stuck in two hours of traffic, just for a good cup of espresso or matcha.
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What’s Different? Thoughtful Menu, In-house Bakery, and A Manual Brewing Space
The menu at SLOW Mumbai is designed completely around comfort, matching its core theme. It has many dishes and brews that you would love to keep coming back to, especially because of their elevated flavors. “And even if you find anything difficult to understand or new, the staff will surely educate you about it, not in an intimidating manner, making the whole experience at SLOW feel like ‘home away from home” Palak quoted.
SLOW offers cleaner, non-processed, non-frozen food with no additives and no preservatives. They have an in-house bakery on the second floor serving desserts and other bakery items at the cafe.
Unlike other cafes, this cafe does not welcome you with typical decor pieces or something flowery; instead, it’s a manual brewing space where the staff brews their pour-overs, matchas, aeropresses, and more. Unique right?
The idea to place this station right at the entrance was Palak’s thought, who wanted the space to feel more interactive. “Guests can also come and learn to brew their own matcha or make their own pour-over. For this, one of the baristas will assist them.”
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Future Plans, Sustainability In Today’s Era Of Social Media And Advice
In this world of temporary fame on social media, Palak chooses to stay true to what she and her team are serving. In between conversations, Palak candidly pushes how she is old school and loves sticking to classic ingredients and recipes or combinations, but does not hesitate to play around a bit with some additions. She also mentioned how she loves experimenting with seasonal produce that can elevate flavors.
Maintaining the quality of the food should always be the priority, as people get emotionally attached to food, and that needs to be respected for them to come back. This is a core belief Palak religiously adheres to, and we couldn’t agree more!
As the conversation steered further, we talked about the cafe’s future plans. Palak and her team mentioned that they do not have plans to enter the franchise system anytime soon. They plan to diversify, but only in terms of serving the guests with more different cuisines and flavors.
Palak, at the end of the conversation, advised those aspiring to open a cafe someday that one has to “make sure to portray their individuality in whatever they serve”, because that is their strength. “If you’re prepared to give your passion all that you have, like long hours of working, errors, and trials, it is going to work out.”
We then proceeded to ask her a few heartfelt questions as we reached the end of our conversation.
Are You A Reader? If Yes, Which Book Would You Recommend To Someone Interested In The F&B Industry?
“The Flavor Thesaurus by Niki Segnit”
By Far, Which Is The One Customer Experience At SLOW That Made You Smile?
“A 10-year-old kid tried Mushroom Tagliatelle on the menu and mentioned to Palak that when he first ordered it, he felt he would be served white sauce pasta with mushrooms. But he was surprised when he tasted it to know that he was served the authentic mushroom sauce. He promised to come back here to relish it.”
Being A Baker, How Did Your Focus Shift To Healthier Options?
“After witnessing all the cons for being overweight and unhealthy, there was this point in my life when I decided that I wanted to get healthier. And that’s when I started tweaking all my favorite dessert recipes into healthier ones. So all the recipes at SLOW Mumbai are basically my journey of weight loss.”
