Quito's nightlife divides clearly between the Historic Centre (quiet after dark, a few traditional bars) and La Mariscal (lively, tourist-oriented, sometimes rowdy). The strip around Plaza Foch (officially Plaza del Quinde) in La Mariscal is the main drinking area, with dozens of bars, clubs, and restaurants open until late.
For daytime coffee, Quito has a good café scene. The old city's cafés tend to serve breakfast and lunch to workers and pilgrims; the modern city's cafés serve excellent Ecuadorian specialty coffee. Ecuador produces some outstanding arabica beans from the cloud forest farms of Mindo and the Amazonian slopes, and a few dedicated roasters in Quito take the local crop seriously.
Café Dios No Muere on Calle Loja near the Basílica is a well-regarded independent coffee shop in the Historic Centre with good filter coffee and a quiet interior. Finn McCool's Irish Pub on the Plaza Foch is the archetypal expat bar — expensive by Ecuadorian standards but reliable and welcoming.