Of all the cuisines New Jersey’s vast dining scene is known for, Greek food is one genre that often gets overlooked and underappreciated.
There is plenty of spanakopita, souvlaki and moussaka to be found in New Jersey — but it’s spaghetti, Sunday sauce and chicken parm that get all the attention.
But two brothers from Albania who have built a North Jersey restaurant empire on Mediterranean fusion are hoping to change that with their latest project.
Dafina opened its doors in Somerville in October under the ownership of brothers Skender “Kenny” and Gino Gjevukaj.
Gino graduated from culinary school in Croatia in the ‘80s and subsequently taught Kenny the craft. The pair owns seven other restaurants around North Jersey including Barka Mediterranean Seafood and Steak in Mountain Lakes and Aurora Restaurant and Bar in Old Tappan.
Skender “Kenny” Gjevukaj and his brother Gino Gjevukaj, co-owners of Dafina Restaurant in Somerville, NJ on Wednesday, December 17, 2025Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media
“Dafina” is Greek for “laurel,” a symbol of victory, honor, and eternal beauty. In its Arabic origins, the term translates to “hidden treasure.”
While excellent Greek food might be one of New Jersey’s hidden culinary treasures, this latest restaurant isn’t exactly hiding — it’s on West Main Street in one of Somerset County’s top food towns.
With a stunning interior design and a Mediterranean menu that goes far beyond Greek classics with audacious offerings like seafood towers, steaks and even Italian classics, Dafina has the makings of a Somerset County favorite.
“We wanted to create something that when you get inside for the hour or two that you spend there, you feel relaxed, forget your hard work day and feel like you’re in a different spot,” Kenny Gjevukaj told NJ Advance Media.
Can Dafina use Italian-Greek fusion to capture the New Jersey food scene’s attention? It has its work cut out for it, especially in a town like Somerville that already has its share of popular eateries.
Let’s dig in.
The good
No matter how casual or classy a Greek restaurant is, a good barometer is how well it prepares octopus.
“Every Greek restaurant needs it,” Gjevukaj said. “If you don’t have good octopus, then forget about it. That’s the first thing that you’ve got to have.”
Grilled octopus from Dafina Restaurant in Somerville. (Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media)Christopher Burch
After one bite of the outstanding grilled octopus ($27.50) it was clear that as unconventional Dafina’s menu might be, it still nails the Greek classics. The octopus is baked, chilled, char-grilled, sliced into small bits and plated with olive oil, red onions, capers and lemon to brighten it up. The flavor was intense and smoky and the texture was tender enough to melt in your mouth. The red onions provided a sharp, sweet crunch to the dish.
Dafina salad from Dafina Restaurant in Somerville. (Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media)Christopher Burch
The Dafina salad ($16.50), comprised of spinach, avocado, mango, pomegranate and goat cheese, was refreshing and very flavorful. The vibrant fruity flavor played off the salad’s olive oil vinaigrette dressing very well — a perfect marriage of salty and sweet. This is far from your typical Greek salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, olives and feta (they serve that as well) but this dish is proof of Dafina’s versatility.
Lamb chops from Dafina Restaurant in Somerville. (Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media)Christopher Burch
Dafina’s lamb chops ($55.50) were another hit. The medium-cooked cuts of meat were prepared masterfully with a nice outer char and tender, juicy interior. They were savory and earthy but not too gamey, a difficult balance for even elite restaurants to strike. The lamb chops were accompanied by salty, garlicky spinach and soft, buttery potato wedges.
Seafood pappardelle from Dafina Restaurant in Somerville. (Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media)Christopher Burch
A huge plate of seafood pappardelle ($52.50) ran neck-and-neck with the octopus in the race for my favorite dish — perhaps the best example of Dafina’s marriage of Greek and Italian food. Scallops, calamari, clams, shrimp and lobster are placed over a bed of ribbon-like pappardelle pasta in a sweet, light tomato cream sauce. This dish was hearty and wildly flavorful. The fresh seafood was pleasantly briny, a salty note that meshed effortlessly with the sweet sauce. From the clams to the lobster, every piece of seafood was tender and cooked to perfection — each bite of the pasta was heavenly.
The portion was so massive it could have fed two.
“We believe people should get quality and also quantity. Some people say you should get one or the other but I want to give both.” Gjevukaj said. “Today you pay, tomorrow it’s lunch.”
Galaktoboureko from Dafina Restaurant in Somerville. (Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media)Christopher Burch
If you’re not stuffed by the end of your meal, make sure to try to the galaktoboureko ($12). The word may be hard to pronounce but it’s easy to enjoy. The Greek dessert is similar to baklava. Layers of flaky dough are placed around a semolina custard and drizzled with orange lemon syrup and plated with vanilla ice cream. The pastry-like dessert is a perfect balance of sweet and citrus.
The bad
Tuna tartar from Dafina Restaurant in Somerville. (Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media)Christopher Burch
I was incredibly excited to try the tuna tartar ($23.50) but the dish was the biggest letdown of the meal. The fish was evidently fresh, but painfully under-seasoned. I added a dash of salt to a few bites and it definitely helped — but not enough to save it. This was hardly the most ambitious dish on the menu, and a surprising miss.
Dafina Mule from Dafina Restaurant in Somerville. (Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media)Christopher Burch
Dafina’s wide selection of cocktails is headlined by the “Dafina Mule” ($18). The drink (featuring grapefruit and rose-flavored Vodka, lime, ginger beer and fresh ginger) was sweet and not too strong. But it was flat and devoid of the kick ginger beer usually provides to a mule drink.
The restaurant‘s bar is huge and carries an abundance of wine and spirits. I’d opt to try the “Smoked Old Fashioned” ($18) next time.
The vibe
Dafina Restaurant dining room in Somerville, NJ on Wednesday, December 17, 2025Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media
Dafina’s interior design is elegant, as much a highlight of a meal here as the food. The space takes you from Somerville to Santorini with dim lights, exposed wood beams, crisp white tablecloths, curved booths, high ceilings and swanky shelves lined with pottery that extend to the ceiling.
But it wasn’t a trip to Greece that inspired the decor.
“In 2024, I was visiting the Albanian coast and it was beautiful. I saw some restaurants down by the water that had a light beach breeze vibe,” Gjevukaj said. “I wanted to create a light, airy vibe to make you feel like you’re outside, not really inside.”
Mission accomplished. I nearly forgot I was in New Jersey on a frigid, December night.
The bottom line
Shrimp avocado salad at Dafina Restaurant in Somerville, NJ on Wednesday, December 17, 2025Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media
Dafina’s opening immediately elevated Somerville’s already impressive culinary reputation.
The interior design is luxurious, the vibe is transporting and the food is amazing — making it the perfect addition to not only Somerville or Somerset County, but to the Garden State as a whole.
New Jersey is far from the Mediterranean Sea — Dafina does its best to make guests feel like they’re on the beautiful foreign coastline.
No, Greek food will never overtake Italian as New Jersey’s favorite cuisine. But Dafina
Dafina Restaurant in Somerville, NJ on Wednesday, December 17, 2025Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media
Dining and Cooking