Out in the California desert near Joshua Tree, set in the drama of the location and the eclectic local population, sits restaurant La Copine. Powered by business and life partners Claire Wadsworth and Nikki Hill, the couple has been dubbed the West Coast’s answer to Via Carota’s Rita and Jody. Wadsworth and Hill are passionate, community-driven cooks with a deep love for each other and the people around them. They welcome their guests to La Copine — "girlfriend" in French — with open arms; a safe haven for the queer community.

The restaurant has a “California soul” style: veggie-forward, innovative yet comforting, and completely irresistible. From "hunky" salads (as described by the New York Times) to special-occasion sandwiches, to boldly flavoured grilled meats, to simple, no-bake desserts, La Copine’s food imparts a sense of care and pride for everything on the plate.

More than the recipes, though, Wadsworth and Hill’s backstory as a couple, the business they’ve built together, and the community they’ve found in the desert, is their mission statement for creating a life on one’s own terms.

Details
Hardcover / 304 pages
Published 28 April 2026