All our Ice cream is made on the premises Cavani's West End Cafe was founded in 1902 by Giovanni Cavani, the present owners grandfather. He first left the village of Capraia in Tuscany in 1896 and travelled to Scotland to find work, his first shop was in Princes Place Ardrossan and when his brother Carlo joined him they moved their business to Saltcoats opening ice cream and confectionery shops
in Dockhead Street on the corner with Green Street (now The Kandy Bar) and also in Chapelwell Street. When Carlo died during the first World War his wife and small children returned to Italy and at that time Giovanni moved to the present site of The West End Cafe at Hamilton Street in 1919. The Cafe has been run by various members of the Cavani family since that time, most notably Mary, Carlo, Johnny, Joe (Pino) and Setti. It is now run by Stephen and his wife Christina. The shop front has had several changes since 1919 and photos of these are posted on this page. It is the second oldest family run business in Saltcoats, T Baillie and Son Butchers being the oldest.
