CHECKING IN WITH ... ATHOS FIORI:

For Athos Fiori, coffee isn’t just a hot drink to sip over the morning paper — it’s a ritual, an art and a part of culture. The manager and founder of Buon Giorno Coffee, which opened last year in Costa Mesa, grew up in Italy and brought his expertise with him when he moved to the United States two decades ago. His business at 474 E. 17th St. offers imported coffee and plenty of Italian-style sandwiches and pastries — though the most eye-catching part of the shop may be the bright yellow orange juice-squeezing machine behind the counter.

So how did you decide on Buon Giorno as your name?

Because “buon giorno” means “good morning.” It’s something in Italy you say every day, and it’s very cheerful. It’s something you always remember. You go to a store and people say, “Buon giorno,” so you never forget it. It’s something that repeats in people’s minds.

Does all your coffee come from Italy?

Yes. It all comes from Costadoro, which is one of the oldest and one of the finest coffee manufacturers. The quality is great.

I suppose this is the inevitable question for anyone who owns a coffee shop, but how do you compete with Starbucks?

If you sell quality and you take care of people, customers, you succeed, regardless. Starbucks — I’m not trying to compete with them. Going there to have a coffee and coming back is a different experience.

Do you drink coffee every morning?

Every morning. Probably about 20 espressos every day, easy.

Is espresso your favorite kind?

Yes. I usually drink espresso, a glass of water and orange juice. So you have the vitamins to flush out the coffee.

Can you sleep after drinking all that espresso?

Oh, yes. I never work less than 12 hours a day, so after you go through all that, you sleep.

Do you ever drink tea?

Yes, I do. Usually chamomile tea. We carry the best chamomile tea in the world.

So, back to coffee. What sets Italian coffee apart from the rest?

It’s milder and smoother. Italians have been making espresso for about 100 years. Here, they’ve been making it for about 10.

Do you ever get Italian customers?

Now that the word is out, I think one out of five is Italian.

Do they ever comment on your coffee?

They do. Costadoro is a very big name in Italy, so when they come in, they can finally get a good espresso or cappuccino. People love the fact that they can have a personal cup, they can sit down and relax.

Tell me about the personal cups.

When the people sit down and want a cappuccino, the first thing we ask is whether it’s for here or to go. So we serve them with a spoon and a plate. No one does that anymore. If you go to Starbucks, they give you a paper cup and tell you to have a nice day.

Is coffee a big part of life in Italy?

Most of the coffee shops in Italy, when you wake up in the morning, before you go to the office or wherever you go to work, you go to the bar and order an espresso. That’s a ritual. Some people do that three, four times a day. When you have a break from the office, you take your friend to the bar and have an espresso.

A lot of people seem to notice the orange juice machine here. Where did you come across it?

I first saw that when I was driving from Geneva to Madrid, about 1986. I was driving there and I saw this orange juice machine. In Europe, every six, seven, eight kilometers, they have these auto-grills where you can stop and have something for the trip. The actual machine comes from Spain, and it’s an Italian design. It’s unbreakable — hopefully.

MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at [email protected].