Brian Veskosky and Jim Orozco recently introduced Red Maple Cafe, Gelato & Coffee Bar on the same Burbank block as Cascabel Taco Shop, packing multiple concepts into two spaces that bracket a juice bar. On the corner, you’ll find a gelato and coffee bar. A larger building with a big, umbrella-shaded patio is set further back from Riverside Drive—on Maple Street—and specializes in sandwiches and salads.

For the past three years Brian and Jim have owned Metro Cafe Hollywood, feeding entertainment industry types who work at the Hollywood Production Center. Brian says, “And after getting a lot of positive feedback, we decided to launch something bigger that would be available to more people.” The partners both live in Sherman Oaks, and the idea of a space with a patio near studios, office towers and Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center appealed to them.

Brian describes “fresh, made-from-scratch offerings” on the café side of the business. At breakfast, he’s particularly proud of their tropical paradise Belgian waffle, a thick Belgian waffle infused with mango, topped with grilled pineapple, toasted coconut, whipped cream and a sprinkling of Tajin spice. Each order comes with maple spice butter in the shape of a maple leaf.

Soon their menu will expand to include 12 to 15 sandwiches. Existing favorites include a jerk chicken burger with house-made patties, grilled pineapple, lime crema, kale and julienne cucumbers. Their signature burger combines Angus beef patties, slow-braised brisket, Manchego cheese, green onion aioli and crispy onions. They decided to offer a pizza alternative: flatbreads. Brian’s favorite version comes topped with herbed ricotta, arugula, prosciutto di Parma and a smoky chipotle strawberry drizzle.

The bar brews Rishi Tea and beans from Santa Cruz-based Verve Coffee Roasters. Red Maple is one of SoCal’s only cafés to serve “Ripples,” a customizable image that’s available atop lattes and cappuccinos. The coffee extract image matches a photo you submit from the Coffee Ripples app, takes 20 seconds to upload and 10 seconds to “print.”

A local gelato company sells Red Maple flavors like ube and cannoli crunch. More standard flavors get boosts from ingredients like Madagascar vanilla, Belgian chocolate, Sicilian pistachios and Argentinean caramel. They also offer a sandwich with ice cream pressed between a sweet Hawaiian bun.

The same bakery that supplies nearby Aroma Coffee and Tea provides oversized muffins, cakes and cheesecakes.

Service is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus Saturday brunch, with Sunday brunch to follow in a few weeks.

173 N. Maple St., Burbank, 818-230-2500