Alright, I'm home and with keyboard!
First up, I'm bias because I live here but I'd recommend Bedminster/Southville for the hipstery/artsy vibe. We're home to Europe's largest street art festival (Upfest) so the main road, North Street, as well as various side roads are adorned with street art. Start at Baynton Road for a ridiculously cool piece from Insane 51 (if you happen to own some red/blue 3D glasses, take them along), then head up North Street and keep your eyes out and don't forget to look back and up, some are more obvious than others. On the way you'll pass Bristol Beer Factory tap room (brewpub), Tobacco Factory (pub/bar and maker's market), Malago (restaurant, good all-round but esp. for brunch), Pizza Workshop, Tin Can (good coffee), Upfest (art shop), Kask (wine bar), Old Bookshop (bar), Spotted Cow (pub) and finish up at North Street Standard (pub). Plenty of other independent shops and places in between, and another 5 minute walk and you'll get to Bristol Gin Distillery, in an industrial estate but good vibes, drinking next to the stills and they do cocktails too.
King Street is a must. It's been pedestrianised since COVID-19 so there's more outdoor seating, you just won't get people piling out into the streets as you used to. Don't miss Small Bar, owned by local brewery Left Handed Giant and do good food (mostly chicken, but I'm sure some vegan), Kong's has got some free and paid-for arcade machines, Old Duke for spit 'n sawdust and live music (that'll be the most different during COVID, sadly), Old Vic bar (yes it's a theatre, but the bar is really nice and if they need the custom it's now more than ever!), Beer Emporium, the Apple (cider boat), and anywhere else that takes your fancy. There's a Brewdog pub nearby too as mentioned but you can find one of those in any town and city nowadays!
On that note local breweries include Wiper & True, Left Handed Giant, Lost & Grounded, Wild Beer, Arbor Ales, Good Chemistry and Bristol Beer Factory. You'll see at least one on most menus. Left Handed Giant have also got another brewpub at Finzels Reach that's class (good pizzas, all vegan), Wild Beer at Cargo, Bristol Beer Factory on North Street and the rest have tap rooms which I'm not sure will be open atm and are in industrial estates anyway.
Definitely go to Cargo, a cargo-container development like Box Park by the harbour. All the restaurants are good, so depends what you fancy or what's good for vegans. Gambas do good seafood, you can get baos, pizza, fish n chips, ice cream, etc. Wild Beer's bar is there. Tare and Root are also there, both fancy restaurants which I'm sure do vegan (latter is veggie-only). 7 Lucky Gods is one of our favourite restaurants but mainly for the meat dishes.
For cocktails take your pick from Milk Thistle, Hyde & Co or Red Light (I'd put them in that order). They're late-night venues but given the 10pm curfew you'll want to be doing an early dinner and then an 8-10 sitting or something.
Also worth a walk from Stokes Croft (from The Full Moon pub) all the way up to Cheltenham and Gloucester Road (roughly to Baker & Co, not much different further up). Again loads of street art, coffee shops, bars, restaurants etc. I hear Koocha Mezza Bar is amazing for vegans, and there's even an Owwee Vegan burger place on Picton Street (takeaway only, I think). There's another on Baldwin Street in the centre too. Also worth checking out St Nick's Market for lunch.
If the weather's nice it's difficult to beat Bristol and I'd recommend walking around the harbour, via Arnolfini art gallery and to Spoke & Stringer area. The Bag of Nails nearby is a cat pub... if that's your thing (and no idea what they're doing during COVID). You can get a little boat across the river to SS GB side which is quaint.
If you're heading to Clifton for the obligatory view of the Suspension Bridge then all the pubs on or near Princess Victoria Street are good, but The Albion is one of the better ones and it's tucked down an alley so easily missed. It's next to Clifton Arcade too. Nothing there is arty or hipstery, mind.
I'd happily put together a full itinerary for you
but I won't go that far... just let me know if you've got any Qs depending on where you're staying etc.
