Restaurant Passport Program launches in Chicago Northwest Community to encourage visitors

Meet Chicago Northwest (MCNW) has launched a restaurant passport program to encourage residents and visitors to explore suburban restaurants and retail businesses. Patrons use an online website to check in at participating businesses to gain points during visits. Those points are then redeemable for exclusive MCNW merchandise, which includes stickers, wine tumblers, and pint glasses.

My wife and I were able to explore five wineries, breweries, and bars/restaurants thanks to MCNW on an exclusive one-time bus trip. Before our trip, I signed up at ChicagoNorthwest.com. The process was easy, and I loved not having to download an app on my phone. Visitors will earn points upon checking in at participating businesses based on their phone's GPS location services.

Our first stop was Lynfred Winery, located in Roselle. We were able to visit the tasting room and learn about their wine-making process. The grounds made me feel like I was on vacation in Napa. We enjoyed three wines along with charcuterie. This was my first visit ever to Lynfred, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course, I checked in.

Next up was to visit Church Street Brewing Company in Itasca. We were greeted by owner Lisa Gregor and given an exclusive tour of the beer-making process. I enjoyed a full-bodied pint of Scottish ale along with their cheesy garlic flatbread with a marinara dipping sauce. The tap room was packed full of people enjoying a lovely afternoon. Check-in number two was complete.

Then, we headed over to Mikerphone Brewing in Elk Grove Village. This small family-owned craft brewery opened in 2015. We enjoyed a freshly brewed Italian-style pilsner.

Next, we visited Beer on the Wall in the downtown district of Arlington Heights, which has over 600 bottles and cans of beer available for takeaway or on-site consumption. They also have 16 rotating drafts, and beer lovers can build their own flight. It was great to try different craft beers.

Our last stop was Tuscan Market & Wine Shop, just a short walk away. This casual dining and drinking spot offers a rotating selection of draft beers, artisan pizzas, and charcuterie. The highlight was their freshly baked Tuscan Drops, a pizza-style dough ball filled with double crème brie and pesto.

MCNW is a non-profit marketing organization dedicated to supporting its suburban communities, including Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Itasca, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Schaumburg, Streamwood,  and Wood Dale. They recently launched their first passport program, the Chicago Northwest Cork & Tap Trail. This passport leads patrons to some of the area's top bars/restaurants, wineries, and breweries. Additional passport trails will be launched throughout the year exploring the Chicagoland suburban communities, including a Family Adventures Passport, which is coming soon. This new passport will allow families to explore fun places like Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament in Schaumburg.

"These passports are such a fun way to introduce more visitors, and even residents, to all of the cool venues in the Chicago Northwest suburbs," says Heather Larson, president and CEO of Meet Chicago Northwest. According to PR representatives, "Participants will be rewarded with awesome merch for exploring our communities' bustling businesses. The passports are a great way to get some summer plans on the books with day trips and weekend stays. We are excited to welcome new visitors to the northwest suburbs."

We had an incredible time venturing out of Chicago and experiencing new businesses in the Northwest Suburbs. All of the places we visited were new to us. I was even able to acquire 500 points with all of my check-ins. Now I have a big decision to make. Should I order the wine tumbler or pint glass? The MCNW passport program opens up a world of new businesses in the Northwest Suburbs, and it's fun to be rewarded for trying new things.