If white ionic columns, a semi-circular portico entrance, and slate-and-terracotta detailing do not immediately conjure images of a rustic brewery for you, you are certainly not alone. But the circa 1900 Kriegshaber House, today home to the Wrecking Bar Brewpub, has a long history of unexpected tenants.

The building, originally constructed for Atlanta businessman Victor Hugo Kriegshaber—who was also known for his philanthropic efforts supporting the Atlanta Music Festival Association, the Playground Association of America, and the Atlanta Philharmonic Society—was designed by architect Willis F. Denny. Considered a Victorian structure, the Kreigshaber House also included Queen Anne and Beaux-Arts detailing, making it unique in the area. Kreigshaber occupied the four-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom house until 1924.

From 1929-1940 it served as the Centenary Methodist Protestant Church, and for the following 25 years it housed a dance school. In 1970 local resident Wilma Stone saved the structure from being razed to make way for a gas station and converted it into the Wrecking Bar—an art, glass, and antiques company—which was open until 2005. But by 2010, the historic building in the Iman Park neighborhood—a mere 10 minutes from downtown Atlanta—had been foreclosed upon and sat vacant.

When would-be partial owner Stevenson Rosslow first surveyed the boarded-up structure, the exterior was tagged with graffiti and feral cats had claimed the interior as their own. But with a budget of $2.1 million, he and co-owners Bob and Kristine Sandage brought the space back to life. Over 18 months the team poured a new foundation for the basement brewery and restaurant, tore up linoleum flooring and restored the original wood floors, and repainted the first floor (today a special events space) in original color schemes.

Since the Wrecking Bar Brewpub, named for the antique store, opened in 2011, it has received accolades in both the preservation and restaurant worlds. In 2012, the Georgia Trust awarded the Wrecking Bar an Excellence in Rehabilitation award and 2015 it was named the best bar in Atlanta by Atlanta Magazine.

The outdoor Biergarten is open on the weekends and guests can enjoy live music in the Coal Room on Sundays.

Here are a few more details you need to know before you go.

Location: 292 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

Hours: Kitchen Hours: Monday-Friday, 4:00 p.m.-11:00p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon-midnight; Sunday, 11:00 a.m.-10:00p.m. (bar is open late).

Pro tip: Don’t miss the free brewery tours every Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

You’re having: The Victor IPA (named for the house’s original owner) with a side of corn pups—taste tested for you by Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Best Yelp Review: “A pub that brews their own beer and has an extensive selection of modern food? Sign me up!” —Krishna