ISLAND CITY — The menu for Mom’Ma Bear’s Burgers is a bit smaller than when Brandy Berg started brainstorming burger combinations.

“It was four pages!” said her husband, Daniel.

The menu at this food truck is two pages — plus a half — that details 22 burgers, plus an assortment of sandwiches and fries.

“And I just thought of a new one,” Brandy said, grinning about the new burger concoction that she’ll soon debut.

The business won Best Food Truck and Best Fries, and Brandy won Best Chef, in the Go! Readers’ Choice awards.

“I’m so very grateful — I thank God every day,” Brandy said.

History

Mom’Ma Bear’s Burgers grew out of the COVID pandemic. When Daniel broke his shoulder and had surgery, he needed to find a different job.

“We sat down and he said, ‘So what do you want to do?’” Brandy said.

Brandy started cooking at 13 in the fairgrounds concession stand at Elma, Washington, and later for Quick Burgers in Aberdeen, Washington. After landing in La Grande, she worked at Nells-N-Out from 1997 to 2002.

Then, she took a break from restaurants to run a daycare while she raised her children.

Fast forward nearly 20 years, and restaurants either closed or only offered takeout for a while due to the pandemic. Brandy started thinking about food and wanted to provide a high-quality product using as many local ingredients as possible.

“The things we put into our body need to be better,” she said.

She designed the food trailer “from the floor up” and Mom’Ma Bear’s Burgers opened in Island City on May 21, 2022.

Of the 22 burgers, the Bergs said the five most popular are Smokey the Bear, Ooie Gooie, The Bourbon, Mushroom Swiss and Peanut Butter Jelly Time — although the bacon cheeseburger is also very popular.

Each burger can be made with beef, bison or elk.

The Bergs use local meat as much as possible and are in the process of developing a partnership with a producer in Wallowa County.

Daniel said they are also seeking local sources for potatoes (they use Yukon Gold, fried in coconut oil), onions, greens and eggs.

“Local is very important to us,” Daniel said.

Mom’Ma Bear’s Burgers

10201 N. McAlister Road

Island City

Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

541-805-6891

Also on Facebook