Abishek Sharma, the chef behind Swagat and Madam Ji, has opened his third Indian restaurant in New York, Badshah Social, in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope.
The restaurant debuted in early July and serves street snacks and main courses like butter chicken.
Badshah, a Hindi word for “King,” was designed to bring India’s street food culture to a social dining setting.
Before opening the restaurant, Sharma traveled through Indian cities, exploring neighborhood markets and street stalls to collect recipes and learn new techniques.
He’s applying that experience to the menu at Badshah Social and putting modern spins on familiar street foods.
Indian cuisine is having a real moment, and it’s because people are becoming more curious and adventurous about food, according to Sharma.
Sharma noted that diners are looking for restaurants with a clear point of view rather than concepts trying to be everything to everyone.
This has allowed Indian restaurants to become more specialized, whether they choose to focus on street food, regional cooking, tasting menus, or modern interpretations of classic dishes.
Guests are discovering just how diverse Indian food really is, Sharma added.
Badshah Social features a New York Knicks-inspired blue-and-orange color palette.
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There are floor-to-ceiling windows, a dining area with banquettes, and a bar area with high-top seating.
There’s also a private dining room for intimate dinners and small parties, and an open kitchen where guests can see the team working the tandoor ovens.
The bar pours creative cocktails inspired by India’s spice markets, plus a tightly curated wine list and Indian and local craft beers.
The food menu ranges from Gujarati street snacks to larger plates like lamb shank nihari braised with spices including cardamom and clove.
The butter chicken is one of Sharma’s favorites, with hand-selected tomatoes for the sauce, giving it a fresh, balanced flavor.
Sharma said their biryani is another standout, prepared using the traditional dum method and made fresh each day in limited quantities.
Sharma is also proud of the chaats, or street snacks, calling them shareable and packed with contrasting flavors and textures.
Being so close to Barclays Center helps make the restaurant a natural place to gather before events or to celebrate afterward.
With Badshah Social, Sharma is combining lessons from his previous restaurants into something more casual and community-driven.
They wanted to create the kind of neighborhood spot where people can watch a Knicks game, meet friends after work, share small plates, and enjoy comforting Indian food without feeling like it’s a special-occasion restaurant, Sharma said.