A happy word of advice: When you book dinner at the award-winning EPIC Steak in San Francisco, make sure you arrive hungry. Located on The Embarcadero, this classic steakhouse is set at the water’s edge, with beautiful views — especially at night — of the Bay Bridge. During a recent visit to San Francisco, my husband and I snagged a table with views of both the bridge and a magnificent fireplace, along with an enormous water pumping station in the center of the main dining area.

The cocktail list is inspiring. When I questioned him about the ingredients in the Fog Point Martini, which claims to be made with water gathered from “fog catchers” in the Bay area, our outstanding waiter K.J. Johnson assured me this is exactly how the water is collected, droplet by droplet. You can even enjoy a flight of handcrafted meads with choices such as Arizona Desert Mesquite, California Bo’ Wildflower and Madras Carrot Blossom, or go deeper with a Single Village Mezcal Flight.

It turned out the dishes sent out by executive chef Parke Ulrich — who also oversees the menu at EPIC’s sister restaurant, Waterbar — were even more dazzling than the views of the twinkling bridge lights and skyline. The chef is dedicated to hormone- and antibiotic-free, environmentally responsible ingredients that include seafood, meat and abundant California-fresh produce, and which provide the foundation for his creative menu. The details change according to what’s at the market on any given day, but look for classics at lunch, brunch and dinner such as Waygu Beef Carpaccio; Tuscan Style Porterhouse Steak with herbs, garlic and olive oil; and Slow Roasted Moulard Duck Breast with Carolina gold rice, sugar snap peas and cherry jus. There are plenty of special touches to be enjoyed, including details like the freshly grated horseradish that accompanied my husband’s oysters. We’d saved space for dessert, and sampled both the Mango Semifreddo and Sweet Corn Custard Cake. There’s also the nightly option of a selection of artisan cheeses — or the Build Your Own EPIC Sundae.