I tend to drink in brew taps run by the breweries themselves. Usually no food is served other than crisps or similar, although one place does chunks of sourdough bread with olive oil and my favourite place has Frazzles (bacon flavour snacks) and Curly Wurlies (chocolate) behind the bar

They also sometimes have food from a zero waste project on a Friday night. Some of the other brew taps we visit sometimes have food vans parked outside. I'd be happy to drink in any of these places on my own and often do.
As I live in a semi-rural area, we have lots of pubs selling traditional British food, but as their veggie options are usually poor, and they only sell mediocre beer, we tend to avoid them. Our favourite local pub at the next station on the line does home made pies and has 'street food Fridays' with a variety of cuisines on offer. Their beer is excellent and they have lots of doggy visitors: I have no issue with calling in on my own for a beer, usually whilst waiting to change trains.
Probably the only traditional pub we visit in Manchester is the Marble Arch, it is a beautiful old building with ornate walls and a sloping floor:
Marble Brewery's beers are fab and the food there is great. I can't think of that many other traditional pubs with good food in the city centre, most of them are the usual chains, with 'interesting' customers.
I guess for me, I either choose somewhere for the beer or the food, Beer is a hobby of ours and the beer community here in Manchester is very friendly and welcoming.