Where to eat in Rome

Selection of Restaurants and Specialties

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Besides being an open-air museum, Rome is also one of the most important gastronomic capitals in Italy, where tradition and creativity coexist in every neighborhood of the city.

Overview + Restaurants Table

• Da Armando al Pantheon
• Felice a Testaccio
• Flavio al Velavevodetto
• Checchino dal 1887
• Antica Pesa
• Checco er Carettiere
• L’Arcangelo
• Antico Arco
• Sora Lella
• Il Sanlorenzo

FAQ

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Overview

Rome offers an extremely diverse gastronomic scene, ranging from award-winning fine dining to historic traditional trattorias. In this guide you will find a selection of particularly noteworthy restaurants (see Restaurant Table), along with an overview of their most appreciated specialties, highlighted by customers and major food guides.

From gourmet and fine dining restaurants such as Imàgo, Idylio by Apreda and Glass Hostaria, to historic Roman institutions like Da Armando al Pantheon, Felice a Testaccio and Checchino dal 1887, you can discover the authenticity of Roman cuisine through iconic dishes such as carbonara, amatriciana, cacio e pepe, saltimbocca alla romana and coda alla vaccinara, enjoying a culinary experience that combines history, identity and quality.

Important notes:

In the following sections you will find some key references to help you better orient your choice among restaurants and their specialties, in particular:

📌 The number next to each restaurant and dish indicates how many gastronomic guides recognize its quality.

📌 The stars shown next to each dish are an internal Tourplan classification, developed based on reviews from major guides: ★★★ dish worth the trip, ★★ must-try dish, ★ dish to try.

📌 The indicative price is an indicative value calculated on a standard meal consisting of a starter + a first course, drinks excluded. See Legend 🔗

Restaurants Table

In the table below you will find a carefully curated list of selected restaurants, created by cross-referencing data from 10 of the most authoritative Italian and international food and wine guides. The selection is not based on proprietary scores or rankings, but on the number of guides that recognize the quality of each restaurant, offering a clear, transparent, and comparable criterion to help guide your choice.

🔎 The guides considered in this selection are: Michelin Guide, Gambero Rosso, l’Espresso Guide, Italian Academy of Cuisine, Slow Food Guide, Bibenda, Il Golosario, Identità Golose, Touring Club Italiano, and TripAdvisor.

• Scroll the table down and to the right to view all column data and quickly access the maps Google Maps ➡️
• To see the explanation of each data column, click on the column header itself (e.g. Org, Index, etc.) at the top of the table.

📌 This table is updated every 6–12 months.

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🍽️ Da Armando al Pantheon

Type: Historic trattoria / traditional Roman cuisine
Area: Historic center (Pantheon)
Indicative price: see Table
Accessibility: On foot / bus

Da Armando al Pantheon (6) is one of Rome’s most iconic historic trattorias, a landmark for those wishing to experience authentic Roman cuisine just a few steps from the Pantheon. The atmosphere is intimate, genuine and deeply rooted in family tradition.

The cuisine is mainly meat-based, with a seasonal menu highlighting high-quality ingredients, many of which come from Slow Food presidia. Great attention is given to sourcing and ingredient selection, while the wine list offers an interesting range of labels, with particular focus on wines from Lazio.

Starters

• Serafini-style bruschetta with grilled lard and black truffle from Norcia (1, ★)
• Lamb offal with artichokes (4, ★★)
• Herring with green beans from Viterbo

First courses

• Roman-style split spelt soup (1, ★★)
• Roman stracciatella soup (1, ★)
• Spaghetti cacio e pepe
• Spaghetti alla gricia with guanciale, pecorino romano and black pepper (4, ★★★)
• Spaghetti all’amatriciana with guanciale, pecorino romano, tomato and black pepper (4, ★★★)
• Spaghetti alla carbonara with guanciale, pecorino romano, eggs and pepper (1, ★★)
• Fettuccine with chicken giblets (2, ★)
• Ravioli “Armando” style with ricotta, spinach and mushrooms (1, ★★)

Main courses

• Picchiapò-style boiled beef
• Grilled lamb chops (2, ★★)
• Roman-style tripe with mint and pecorino romano (2, ★★)
• Oxtail stew (coda alla vaccinara) (2, ★★)
• Saltimbocca alla romana
• Baked anchovies with endive (3, ★★)
• Duck with prunes (1, ★)
• Guinea fowl with porcini mushrooms and dark beer

Side dishes

• Artichokes (seasonal) (2, ★★)

Desserts

• Sour cherry tart (2, ★★)
• Ricotta cake “Antica Roma” (2, ★★)

Da Armando al Pantheon is the ideal choice for those wishing to enjoy an authentic Roman dining experience in the historic center of Rome, where tradition is respected with rigor and enhanced through carefully selected ingredients and preparations faithful to the capital’s culinary history.

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🍽️ Felice a Testaccio

Type: Historic trattoria / Traditional Roman cuisine
Area: Testaccio
Indicative price: see Table
Accessibility: Bus / tram / taxi

Felice a Testaccio (5) is one of the iconic addresses of Roman gastronomy, deeply linked to the history of the neighborhood. The cuisine is faithful to the great Roman classics, mainly meat-based, highlighting the city’s most traditional recipes.

The signature dish of the house is tonnarelli cacio e pepe, freshly finished at the table (5, ★★★), prepared in front of the guest with a technique that few restaurants in Rome can execute with such mastery. The wine list offers a selection of local and Italian labels, consistent with the house tradition.

First courses

• Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, finished at the table (5, ★★★)
• Mezzemaniche alla gricia (2, ★★)
• Spaghetti alla Felice: with cherry tomatoes, basil, mint, oregano, thyme, marjoram, and salted ricotta (1, ★)
• Bucatini all’amatriciana
• Spaghetti alla carbonara
• Rigatoni with pajata, oxtail sauce, or lamb sauce (1, ★)

Main courses

• Meatballs in sauce (2, ★★)
• Roast lamb (3, ★★)
• Saltimbocca alla Romana (2, ★)
• Roman-style tripe (1, ★)
• Breaded lamb chops with fried zucchini
• Meatloaf with mashed potatoes
• Rolls in sauce
• Veal stew alla cacciatora with mashed potatoes (★★)
• Stuffed zucchini
• Lamb offal with artichokes and onion
• Pajata in sauce

Sides

• Peas with ham
• Roman-style artichokes

Desserts

• Felice’s tiramisu with shortcrust biscuit
• Ricotta and pear cake

Felice a Testaccio is the ideal choice for those wishing to experience authentic Roman cuisine in the heart of one of the city’s most characteristic neighborhoods, where tradition is respected with rigor and enhanced through technique and culinary memory.

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🍽️ Flavio Al Velavevodetto

Type: Historic trattoria / Traditional Roman cuisine
Area: Testaccio
Indicative price: see Table
Accessibility: Bus / tram / taxi

Flavio Al Velavevodetto (6) is an institution of Roman cuisine in the heart of the Testaccio district. The cuisine stays faithful to the great Roman classics, mainly meat-based, highlighting the city’s most traditional recipes.

The quality of ingredients is top-notch: many Slow Food presidia, vegetables from the restaurant’s own garden, cheeses including house-made ones, and a wine list with an excellent selection of local and Italian labels complete the gastronomic offering, making every dish an authentic and genuine experience.

The house specialties are spaghetti alla carbonara and tonnarelli cacio e pepe (5, ★★★), dishes worth traveling for. Rigatoni all’amatriciana and alla gricia are also not to be missed, perfectly in line with the house tradition.

Starters

• FM of our own production
• Burrata stracciatella with Cantabrian anchovies
• Homemade supplì
• Marinated zucchini or pumpkin
• Meatballs and chickpeas (2, ★)

First courses

• Broccoli soup in arzilla broth
• Pasta e fagioli
• Ravioli al Velavevodetto with cherry tomatoes and salted ricotta
• Rigatoni all’amatriciana (4, ★★)
• Rigatoni alla gricia (4, ★★)
• Spaghetti alla carbonara (5, ★★★)
• Tonnarelli cacio e pepe (5, ★★★)
• Rigatoni with pajata
• Rigatoni with oxtail sauce
• Fettuccine with chicken offal or artichokes (2, ★★)

Main courses

• Roast lamb with potatoes
• Roll in sauce (3, ★★)
• Coda alla vaccinara (2, ★★)
• Roman-style tripe
• Fried meatballs from boiled or sauced meat (3, ★★)
• Hunter-style rabbit
• Fried anchovies and battered cod (1, ★)
• Roman-style chicken or with peppers
• Beef stew with potatoes or onions
• Fracosta alla fornara

Sides

• Sautéed escarole with raisins, pine nuts, and olives
• Fried or Jewish-style artichokes (3, ★★)
• Sautéed turnip greens (cicoria)

Desserts

• Layered tiramisu in a glass (4, ★★)
• Ricotta and pear cake

Flavio Al Velavevodetto is the ideal choice for those seeking an authentic Roman experience, where culinary tradition is respected with attention to technique, ingredients, and the culinary history of the neighborhood.

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🍽️ Checchino da 1887

Type: Historic trattoria / Traditional Roman cuisine
Area: Testaccio
Indicative price: see Table
Accessibility: Bus / tram / taxi

Checchino da 1887 (5) is a historic restaurant in the heart of Testaccio, renowned for its meat dishes and Roman traditional recipes. Among its most famous offerings is the coda alla vaccinara (5, ★★★), prepared according to the family’s century-old recipe—a true must—and for starters, the sumptuous salumi and cheese trolley.

Special mention goes to the restaurant cellar, carved beneath the “Monte dei Cocci” of the Testaccio district. The cellar, open to visitors, houses selections of local, Italian, and international labels, as well as rare wines and exceptional spirits.

Starters

• Lazio and Italian salumi & cheeses from the trolley (over 20 types) (3, ★★)
• Pig trotter salad (2, ★★)
• Veal head in a box (1, ★★)
• Corallina di Montegabbione
• Capocollo di Castelgandolfo
• Tasting of beans and pork rind (2, ★★)
• Bruschetta with pecorino and sage
• Rustic vegetable fornarina (1, ★)
• Crostino with guanciale
• Beer cake (1, ★)

First courses

• Rigatoni with pajata (3, ★★)
• Tonnarelli with coda alla vaccinara sauce (3, ★★)
• Bucatini alla gricia
• Stracciatella Romana
• Farro and chicory soup
• Pasta e ceci (2, ★★)
• Bucatini all’amatriciana
• Spaghetti alla carbonara
• Tonnarelli cacio e pepe (2, ★★)

Main courses

• Coda alla vaccinara (5, ★★★)
• Roman-style tripe (1, ★)
• Mixed 5th quarter roast (2, ★★)
• Pajata braised or roasted (2, ★★)
• Padellotto alla macellara (1, ★)
• Roman-style rolls
• Saltimbocca alla Romana
• Lamb hunter-style or on-the-bone (1, ★)
• Lamb offal with artichokes (1, ★)
• Beef garofolato (2, ★★)
• Veal trotter in oil (1, ★)
• Veal liver with onions
• Checchino scallop
• Rabbit stewed with Gaeta olives

Sides

• Field chicory sautéed or boiled with oil and lemon (1, ★)
• Sautéed broccoli rabe
• Roman-style artichoke (1, ★)

Desserts

• Cream, hazelnut, and chocolate ice cream drowned in hot coffee
• Stracciatella cake with a glass of Roscetto Passirò Falesco (1, ★)
• Pear and walnut cake with chocolate sauce and a glass of Stillato
• Apple cake

Checchino da 1887 represents an authentic Roman experience, with quality meat dishes, traditional recipes, and a historic setting including a welcoming outdoor area, perfect to enjoy the flavors of Testaccio.

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🍽️ Antica Pesa

Type: Traditional restaurant / Creative Roman cuisine
Area: Trastevere, Rome
Indicative price: see Table
Access: Tram / Car

Antica Pesa (4) combines Roman tradition with a creative touch. The cuisine highlights top-quality ingredients, offering both meat and fish dishes on a carefully curated seasonal menu. The restaurant has an excellent wine cellar with local, Italian, and international labels, as well as a beautiful partially covered garden, ideal for outdoor lunches and dinners.

First Courses

• Spaghetti cacio e pepe (4, ★★)
• Schiaffoni all’amatriciana
• Chitarra alla carbonara
• Fettuccine with artichokes and thyme

Main Courses

• Pork ribs porchetta-style with grapes and chestnuts
• Veal fillet alla saltimbocca, sautéed spinach, roasted cauliflower drops
• Lamb rack in breading, vanilla purée, confit lemon sauce
• Cod heart in hazelnut and fennel crust, Maccarese carrot purée

Desserts

• Millefeuille with white chocolate cream, crunchy blackcurrants, toasted peanuts, juniper sauce
• Crème brûlée with tonka bean, chocolate caramel, salted almonds, orange zest

The restaurant offers an elegant and relaxed experience, perfect for enjoying the flavors of Roman tradition in a refined setting with a great atmosphere, both indoors and in the charming outdoor garden.

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🍽️ Checco er Carettiere

Type: Roman trattoria / Traditional cuisine
Area: Rome, Trastevere
Indicative price: see Table
Access: Car / Public transport

Checco er Carettiere (3) is a historic restaurant in the Trastevere neighborhood, famous for authentic Roman cuisine with a focus on meat dishes. The house specialties include spaghetti alla carrettiera (2, ★★) and coda alla vaccinara (2, ★★), true symbols of Roman culinary tradition. The wine cellar offers a selection of local and Italian labels, perfect to accompany the restaurant’s signature dishes.

Starters

• FM – Roman caciotta and pecorino
• Fried Roman starter (1, ★)
• Ham and artichokes alla giudia
• Supplì, meatballs, and zucchini flowers
• Nervetti (veal trotters)
• Potato frittata Roman style (1, ★)

First Courses

• Homemade fettuccine
• Bombolotti all’amatriciana (1, ★)
• Bombolotti alla gricia
• Spaghetti alla carbonara
• Spaghetti cacio e pepe
• Spaghetti alla carrettiera (2, ★★)

Main Courses

• Coda alla vaccinara (2, ★★)
• Ossobuco alla romana
• Involtini alla romana
• Lamb cutlets breaded with artichokes (1, ★)
• Beef piece
• Grilled beef fillet
• Saltimbocca alla romana
• Roast lamb with potatoes (1, ★)

Sides & Vegetables

• Artichokes alla romana or alla giudia

Desserts

• Zabaglione cake
• Sour cherry tart (1, ★)
• Cream and pine nut tart

Checco er Carettiere is the ideal choice for those who want to experience Roman tradition in an authentic setting, enjoying historic and genuine dishes accompanied by a cellar of local and Italian wines.

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🍽️ L’Arcangelo

Type: Gourmet restaurant / Traditional Roman cuisine with a modern twist
Area: Rome, Prati
Indicative price: see Table
Access: Car / Public transport

L’Arcangelo (3) is a reference point in Rome for those who want to savor traditional cuisine with a contemporary touch. The kitchen focuses on high-quality ingredients, favoring certified products and Slow Food presidia. The menu is predominantly meat-based and seasonal, while the wine cellar offers selected local and Italian labels. The restaurant is known for its elegant and welcoming atmosphere.

Starters

• Journey to Rocca Priora: bitter herb salad, roots, pangiallo and anchovies; boiled eggs and toasted bread with rabbit liver, butter, and sage; fried cream with pecorino, pumpkin, and cinnamon; rice supplì (3, ★★)
• Fritto supplizio (6, ★★★) – Smoked potato croquettes and crispy fried cream with anchovy sauce. So popular that the restaurant opened a dedicated street food spot in Rome.

First Courses

• Pennoni cacio e pepe (1, ★)
• Spaghettoni all’amatriciana (5, ★★★)
• Onion ravioli with “my garum” (1, ★)
• Campofilone tagliatelle with chicken offal ragout
• Lasagnetta with lamb ragout in a slightly sweet-sour sauce
• Rigatoni alla carbonara (4, ★★★)

Main Courses

• Tripe with Roman mint and pecorino
• Cod with field vegetables from the Colli Romani (1, ★)
• Coda alla vaccinara
• Roast pigeon, rosemary smoke and incense, mustard and beetroot (1, ★)
• Quails in scapece, amaretti, sour cherries and their vegetables

Desserts

• Choux filled with citrus cream (1, ★)
• Liquid white chocolate, capers, ginger, and extra virgin olive oil

Notes: L’Arcangelo stands out for its must-try dishes: Fritto supplizio, Rigatoni alla carbonara, and Spaghettoni all’amatriciana, all highly awarded in guides, with six, four, and five mentions respectively. A prestigious spot for those who want to experience authentic Roman gourmet cuisine.

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🍽️ Antico Arco

Type: Gourmet restaurant / Traditional and creative cuisine
Area: Rome, Gianicolo
Indicative price: see Table
Access: Car / Public transport

Antico Arco (6) is a restaurant offering an Italian and contemporary menu, balanced between meat and fish dishes, with careful attention to ingredients. The menu changes seasonally, and the wine cellar features selected local, Italian, and international labels. A refined venue, ideal for those seeking a complete gastronomic experience in an elegant and welcoming setting.

Starters

• Sea bass ceviche with sweet potato purée and extra virgin olive oil
• Amberjack tartare with ginger and frate beard
• Sea bass carpaccio with asparagus and wild herbs
• Deboned roasted pigeon, spring onions and port sauce
• Piedmontese beef tartare, smoked foie gras and caper powder
• Cheese selection with our jams and warm bread

First courses

• Risotto with sea bass ceviche and burrata
• Sea bass ravioli with shellfish broth and artichokes
• Tagliolini with mullet roe, broccoli, and orange
• Tortello of coda alla vaccinara
• Risotto with Castelmagno cheese and nebbiolo sauce
• Carbonara with mezze maniche and black truffle

Main courses

• Seared tuna with cardoncello mushrooms and mizuna leaves
• Baked sea bass, roasted asparagus and anchovy mayonnaise
• Amberjack with cauliflower cream, hazelnuts and lemon thyme
• Beef fillet, grain mustard and braised Belgian endive
• Honey-roasted suckling pig with red fruits and white turnip
• Crispy duck, foie gras and artichokes

Desserts

Creamy caciotta cheese with Cesanese jam

Monte Bianco with roasted chestnut cream, vanilla cream, dark chocolate soil and meringue

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🍽️ Sora Lella

Type: Historic restaurant / Traditional Roman cuisine
Area: Rome, Tiber Island
Indicative price: see Table
Access: Car / Public transport

Sora Lella (5) is an iconic Roman restaurant located in the heart of Tiber Island, known for its homemade and authentic cuisine, mostly meat-based. Ingredients are carefully selected, the wine cellar offers local and Italian labels, and the menu follows historical and seasonal recipes, providing a true Roman culinary experience.

Signature dishes not to be missed include Grandma Lella’s meatballs, Potato gnocchi all’amatriciana, Oxtail alla vaccinara, and, to finish, artisanal ice creams. Each dish reflects the care in selecting ingredients and passion for traditional cooking.

Starters

• Roman, Lazio and Italian cheeses served with homemade jams: Pecorino Romano PDO, Pecorino di Picinisco, Cacio Fiore, Conciato di San Vittore
• Grandma Lella’s meatballs (specialty since 1940) (3, ★★★)
• Supplì di Aldo with three-meat ragù, chicken giblets and dried porcini
• Susianella from Viterbo with assorted artisan cured meats
• Lamb offal from Acquapendente with artichokes (1, ★)

First courses

• Potato gnocchi all’amatriciana (homemade as Grandma Lella did in 1948) (3, ★★★)
• Tonnarelli alla Cuccagna (specialty since 1961) (3, ★★)
• Tiberina ravioli with three-meat ragù, chicken giblets and dried porcini
• Cannolicchi alla Matacchiona with guanciale, pepper, pecorino and red garlic cream (3, ★★)
• Rigatoni alla carbonara with organic eggs
• Rigatoni with veal pajata (2, ★)
• Tonnarelli cacio e pepe with fresh Roman mint
• Pasta with Roman broccoli, anchovy broth, and Pecorino Romano PDO
• Pasta e fagioli alla romana with Onano beans

Main courses

• Oxtail alla vaccinara (4, ★★★)
• Veal sweetbreads cacciatora style
• Veal tripe Roman style (2, ★★)
• Free-range chicken stewed Roman style with Pontecorvo peppers
• Veal breast alla Fornara with rosemary mashed potatoes
• Lamb offal from Acquapendente with artichokes
• Acquapendente lamb in broth
• Acquapendente roasted lamb leg with rosemary mashed potatoes (2, ★★)
• Artichokes Roman or Jewish style (3, ★★)
• Hand-cleaned puntarelle with artisan anchovy sauce
• Stewed peppers
• Leonessa rosemary mashed potatoes

Desserts

• Artisanal ice creams by chef Renato Trabalza (4, ★★)
• Ricotta ice cream, a typical Roman dessert
• Ricotta cake with Roman PDO ricotta and Cantiano sour cherry jam (4, ★★)
• Chocolate salami and mortadella with caramel

Sora Lella is the perfect choice for those who want to experience true Roman cuisine, with historic meat dishes like Grandma Lella’s meatballs, potato gnocchi all’amatriciana, and oxtail alla vaccinara, carefully selected ingredients, a wine cellar with local and Italian labels, and artisanal dessert specialties.

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🍽️ Il Sanlorenzo

Type: Seafood restaurant / Fine dining
Area: Central Rome
Indicative price: see Table
Access: Car / Public transport

Il Sanlorenzo (6) is one of the temples of seafood in Rome, a reference point for those seeking top-level maritime cuisine. The restaurant exclusively serves fish dishes, with a strict selection of ingredients and an in-house fish counter allowing guests to choose the catch of the day directly.

The atmosphere is elegant, classical with modern touches, ideal for a refined dinner. The menu follows the seasonality of the sea, and the wine list is top-notch, with carefully selected local, Italian, and international labels. Must-try starters include crustaceans and red prawns from Ponza Island, symbols of a cuisine that highlights the purity of ingredients.

Starters

• Oyster selection: Jean Jaques Cadoret; Belon; Perle Noir; Gillardeau (3, ★★)
• Crudo selection: crustaceans and tartare (4, ★★)
• Crustaceans from Ponza Island (6, ★★★)
• Fried baby squid with zucchini tempura and mint (3)
• Vongole veraci from Sabaudia grilled over wood fire (1, ★)
• Ponza anchovies with pan brioche (2, ★)
• Ponza red prawns, roasted on rosemary branches and served with bitter herb salad and raw mushrooms (5, ★★★)

First courses

• Crab tortelli with tomato juice and basil infusion (3, ★★)
• Tagliolini with raw and cooked red prawns (2, ★★)
• Spelt spaghetti with Ponza anchovies and breadcrumbs
• Paccheri from Gragnano with swordfish, eggplant, and smoked mozzarella
• Sea urchin spaghetti
• Linguine aglio e olio with small squid, rosemary, and Cetara anchovy sauce (1, ★)

Main courses

• Grilled octopus glazed with pepper extract and sea herbs (1, ★★)
• Scorpionfish fillet with yellow cherry tomatoes, Itrane olives, and caper leaves (1, ★★)
• Red prawns and scampi Catalana (1, ★★)
• Catch of the day in salt crust with potato leaves and mixed greens (1, ★★)
• Local tuna with herbs and sweet-and-sour onions
• Local sea bass fillet with salt and pepper, served with roasted tomato consommé and vongole veraci

Desserts

• His Majesty the Babà (2, ★★)

Il Sanlorenzo is the ideal choice for those seeking an exclusive seafood experience in the heart of Rome, with top-quality ingredients, an in-house fish counter, seasonal menu, and cuisine that celebrates fish in its purest and most elegant form.

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FAQ