Bandido Brewing opened as Quito's first microbrewery, run by expat founders from Oregon, in an 1850s colonial building near the Iglesia de San Agustin in the historic center. The slogan over the bar, "for adventurers, by adventurers," sets the tone for a taproom that helped start Ecuador's craft beer scene.
Who would love it: beer drinkers who want house brews and a wood-fired pizza in a centuries-old room. Who would hate it: anyone expecting a slick lounge or a Sunday afternoon session, since the doors stay shut that day.
The space keeps its old bones. Thick adobe walls, a beamed ceiling and a long bar give it the feel of a colonial courtyard turned brewpub, a few minutes' walk from Plaza Grande. The brewing happens on site, and the board usually lists about six house beers at a time, so the lineup shifts with the seasons and the brewers' mood.
Order the way the regulars do, with a paddle or a pint of whatever sits highest on the board, then a wood-fired pizza or a plate of small bites to go with it. The kitchen and the beer are built to share across a table. Frommer's singles it out as a standout for creative brews in the Old Town, and the brewery lists its full pour on its own site.
Best time to go is early evening on a weekday, when the doors open at 4pm and the room is calm enough to talk to the bartender about what is fresh. Weekends draw a younger crowd and fill later. The brewery also keeps a separate space near Metropolitan Park that runs daytime hours, but the Old Town taproom is the one to seek out.
It is the clearest entry point to Quito beer culture, and a natural pairing with the best craft beer bars we cover. For the next round, walk it off toward Cherusker in La Mariscal or check the rest of the best bars in Quito.
