The best South American restaurants in Melbourne

It’s safe to say that Melbourne is a city obsessed with eating and drinking. After our morning coffee, we're already thinking about where to have lunch, and right after that lunch, our minds turn to where we might head to for dinner. The city’s hospo crews certainly have their work cut out for them, but a new, collaborative coworking hub is helping give Melbourne’s culinary pros the space to stretch their wings.  Worksmith has opened a fresh coworking space located at Ella – the new entertainment and dining precinct on the corner of Elizabeth and La Trobe streets (Elizabeth plus La Trobe equals Ella). After successfully opening its first coworking space in Collingwood, the industry professionals behind Worksmith launched the CBD outpost in June, and the community there is thriving. Just like the original Collingwood hub, Worksmith Ella is a space where those working in the hospitality industry can build and grow their latest projects and collaborate with like-minded professionals. Plus, to celebrate Worksmith’s official launch party at Ella, Time Out has teamed up with them for an exclusive industry offer.  Until September 30, Time Out readers who are in the food, beverage and hospitality industries can score a free month-long membership to Worksmith Ella or Collingwood (whichever suits you best). Your Worksmith industry membership gives you access to 16 hours at the hub per month; use of the Worksmith meeting room (once a month); invites to social events, launches and net

To celebrate 150 years of built environment education, the University of Melbourne is hosting a Great British Bake Off style competition. The brief: to recreate Melbourne’s architectural icons in baked form. The competition is open to the public, so if you’ve got what it takes to whip up a gingerbread Flinders Street Station or a Black Forest Federation Square, register online before Monday, 22 July to be in the running. If you're in it to win it, there are cash prizes up for grabs across three categories: general public ($2500), student ($1000) and People’s Choice ($500). Final judging will take place on Sunday, August 18, when the public is invited to view and vote on the best buttercream building or sponge skyscraper, alongside a panel of food, design and architecture experts. Visit the competition website for more information, and start drawing up plans for your meringue masterpiece.

There’s no escaping the fact that in Melbourne the footy season means winter, and winter means cold, blustery days at the MCG. But locals embrace the chilly match days with gusto, rugged up in footy scarves and half-heartedly eating soggy yet scaldingly hot meat pies. As it turns out though, your match day dining need not be restricted to overpriced, oversalted tuckshop food.  Just over the road from the MCG lies the Pullman Hotel, and boy does its restaurant and bar know how to whip up a footy lovers' feast. Every day that there’s a game on at the ‘G, in-house bar and restaurant the Cliveden hosts a feast that’s perfect for fueling up pre or post-match.  You’ll want to loosen your belt a few notches before you get started on this mighty menu created by executive chef David Albert. The Cliveden's winter feast features gourmet sausages, grilled chicken thighs, slow-cooked meatballs with passata and a roast beef carvery complete with homemade gravy, mustards and condiments. Footy fans on their way to or from a match at the 'G will also get plenty of sides, including jacket potato wedges, freshly baked rolls (plus herb and garlic bread), three types of soups and new potato salad. There’s even something for the footy-loving veggo with a vegetarian pasta and pizza (you can also grab a slice of supreme or pepperoni pizza too). And just like at the MCG, the Cliveden offers fresh doughnuts (jam-filled or iced) as a sweet snack. The footy lover’s feast at the Cliveden Bar and Dini

When you’ve been sipping the freshest spirits and most inventive cocktails for a few years (guilty) you develop a discerning taste. Ableforth’s understands your distilled standards, and they’ve developed a range of spirits to match. Those seeking savoury, complex and adaptable flavour profiles should investigate Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin. It’s painstakingly prepared, first through a copper-pot distillation with the juniper base and other fragrant botanicals. Then a minimum seven-day infusion of zesty orange, spicy-sweet cassia, citrussy coriander seed, warming cardamom and cloves are gently introduced to the gin, and each of these flavours shines through abundantly in the bottled beverage.  It takes no less than seven carefully monitored days to eke every bit of distinctive flavour out of these fresh ingredients. In between shifts, the Ableforth’s mixologists have developed seven cocktail recipes – one to suit your mood, no matter what day of the week it is – that make the most out of their prize concoctions.  Photograph: Piers Cunliffe Make Monday classy with a Negroni. It’s a simple but effective combination of equal parts Bathtub Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth stirred over ice and served with orange peel zest.  After a hectic Tuesday, shake together Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin, a dash of sugar syrup, fresh lemon juice and mint leaves and you’ve got yourself a snazzing Southside. Next on the list is Ableforth’s Blood and Sand cocktail. It’s a mix of their delightfully stick