Abishek Sharma, the chef behind Swagat and Madam Ji, has opened his third Indian restaurant in New York. Badshah Social debuted in early July in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope.
Badshah, a Hindi word for “King,” was designed to bring India’s vibrant street food culture to a social dining setting.
Before opening the restaurant, Sharma traveled through the Indian cities of Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, as well as southern India and the states of Gujarat and Punjab, exploring neighborhood markets and bustling 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 I think it’s because people are becoming more curious and adventurous about food,” Sharma said. “For a long time, Indian restaurants in the U.S. were expected to serve the same handful of dishes. Now chefs are highlighting the incredible diversity of India’s regional cuisines, techniques, and ingredients.”
The dining room features a blue-and-orange color palette inspired by the New York Knicks.
Sharma noted that diners are looking for restaurants with a clear point of view rather than concepts trying to be everything to everyone. He said that 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.
“It’s exciting because guests are discovering just how diverse Indian food really is,” he added.
Badshah Social features a New York Knicks-inspired blue-and-orange color palette, 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.
There’s an open kitchen where guests can see the team working the tandoor ovens to prepare some of the restaurant’s standout dishes. And 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 streets snacks to larger plates like lamb shank nihari braised with spices including cardamom and clove, and a whole branzino inspired by India’s southwestern coast.
The butter chicken is one of Sharma’s favorites. He said they hand-select the tomatoes for the sauce, which gives it a fresh, balanced flavor while staying true to the dish’s classic roots.
The bar pours creative cocktails with Indian spices and flavors.
“Our biryani is another standout,” he said. “We prepare it using the traditional dum method [cooking in a sealed pot with low heat] and make it fresh each day in limited quantities, so every batch has the flavor and texture it’s meant to have.”
He’s also proud of the chaats, or street snacks, calling them “vibrant, shareable, and packed with contrasting flavors and textures.”
Sharma brings a lot of experience to Badshah Social.
“Every restaurant has taught me something different,” he said. “Swagat reinforced the importance of staying true to authentic Indian flavors and cooking with consistency every day. Madam Ji showed me how much people value an experience — not just great food, but a place that brings people together.”
With Badshah Social, he’s combining those lessons into something more casual and community- driven.
“We 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,” he said.
Being so close to Barclays Center helps make that vision a reality, as the restaurant is becoming a natural place to gather before events or to celebrate afterward.