Why Pangea has been closed

Earlier today, we mentioned that Pangea on Second Avenue between 11th Street and 12th Street has been closed the last few nights...

Pangea owner Stephen Shanaghan responded to our email this morning.

"We are currently engaged in a landlord-tenant dispute," he said. "Hopefully we will reopen soon."

He also discussed his ties to the community, where the restaurant has been operating since 1986 when they were known as La Spaghetteria.

"I always refer to Pangea as a community restaurant. We have partnered with many of the local arts, theater and other nonprofit organizations for the past two decades," he said.

Among them: the Danspace Project, the Poetry Project, St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, Third Street Music School Settlement, P.S 122, Theatre for the New City and Classic Stage Company.

"We have always believed that by supporting them we are nourishing the roots of the community," he said. "To this day, I believe that this is why we have been able to keep our restaurant going for so many years."