Namkeen opens in Stony Brook
The Nashville sandwich at Namkeen's first Long Island location in Stony Brook. Credit: Newsday/Melissa Azofeifa
Namkeen, a new-to-Long Island halal hot-chicken franchise, is bringing a burst of flavor with the opening of a Stony Brook outpost.
Franchisees Shahab Cheema and Harjot Singh "looked all over the Long Island," to find the Stony Brook Road spot, which opened earlier this month, Singh said. Namkeen means savory in Urdu. The brand blends buttermilk-brined chicken with a South Asian spices.
Namkeen’s main halal offering includes the Nashville sandwich ($13.99) made with fried chicken, and choice of heat, pickles, coleslaw and house sauce on brioche. If you want to spice up your meal, Namkeen also serves the Tikka melt ($13.99) made with fried chicken, tikka sauce, pickled onions, American, Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese on sourdough and mint chutney. Then there's the loaded Dhamaka fries ($12.99) which are masala fries, fried chicken, tikka sauce, pickles, coleslaw and mint sauce.
Specialty shakes such as a rose-flavored summer drink, the rooh afza ($7.99), which could also be made as a slushie ($6.99) or a kulfi shake, plus classic chocolate and vanilla shakes ($6.99) are among the drink specials. Desserts include the Nutella waffle ($12.99) or the Gulabi waffle ($12.99) made with pistachio, rose petals, kulfi ice cream on a gulab jamun-infused Belgian waffle.
The decor inside the takeout-forward space is crisp, modern and engaging, with a neon "Namkeen sign," and a pop-art-inspired mural with images of nearby Stony Brook University.
This is the ninth location for the brand, which debuted in 2020 in Chatham, New Jersey. Other locations include Mississauga, Canada, Milton, Georgia, and Brooklyn.
Namkeen, 1320 Stony Brook Rd., Ste 25, Stony Brook, 631-675-0428, eatnamkeen.com. Open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
Most Popular
Top Stories
