We know Shanghai's restaurant scene is explosive, with fare ranging from high-end Bund eateries to equally delicious and significantly more wallet-friendly street-side barbecue stands. There's a lot of roe involved in dining these days, but if you're looking to kick meat you've still got a bevy of dining options to choose from.

I have a friend coming to stay this summer. He’s lived in Hong Kong for 20 years but has never been to China. Why? Because he is a vegetarian.

My own stint as a young and principled veggie came to an end in front of my parents’ fridge eating a whole Marks and Spencer’s roast chicken, but I vaguely remember the pain of holidays where omelette and chips were the only choices. Surely Shanghai, city of a million restaurants, would have some expat-friendly options for my gastronomically challenged friend?

In honour of his arrival, I drew up a list of about 15 previously untried veg-eateries and began to work my way through them. The first thing I noticed is that many are in less than optimum locations.

Take L’Abre de Provence, for instance, in the Yuanshen Stadium in Pudong. It’s a nice enough restaurant serving Western veggie fare–a real rarity–but who goes to a stadium for supper? No one, apparently–the place was empty on our visit.

The second thing I realized was that my list was rather out of date. I explored Zhabei, Changning and Hongkou and kept finding restaurants that had shut up shop or moved on. After visiting the fourth closed down café, I began to worry that my friend’s fears were well founded.

But there is light at the end of the vegetarian tunnel: Buddhist restaurants. One such is Lucky Zen & Veg Restaurant, which offers a stylish eating space with chunky wood furniture and book-lined shelves. The menu contains Chinese classics including spring rolls (¥18) and jiaozi (¥12). The long central table is perfect for large groups and the window seats are great for watching the street life below.

Vegetarian Lifestyle has proved that vegetarian fare can be profitable in this city. With three branches and a 10-year history, this chain is always busy. The food is good, though the menu is based around fake meats.

Don’t get me wrong, the vegetarian steak (¥30) is tasty, but the concept is odd, as if veggies live a life of denial, craving the forbidden meat. That said, these canteen-style restaurants are conveniently located with a reliable menu. The tofu skins are delicious (¥32).

Any vegetarian worth his or her bean sprouts knows Anna Maya Vegetarian Café. Their macrobiotic menu (with macro-portion sizes to match) offers some of the best veggie options in the city, with a regularly updated menu. Their small, tasty salads offer the perfect antidote to the oil and sugar of local fare.

I don’t think my friend is going to starve here, but Shanghai’s vegetarian scene still has a way to go. There’s a gap in the market for chunky soups, giant salads, delicious dips and hearty veggie mains. Who will step in to fill it?