The Crazy Good Story:
It Started with Terry’s Radically Fresh Idea
Long before chicken salad became an American staple, Terry Fraley had a vision. In 1994, he convinced a skeptical city council and museum board in Norfolk, Virginia, to let him open a cafe dedicated to a single dish: his homemade chicken salads. Palettes was born inside the prestigious Chrysler Museum of Art, launching America’s first-ever dedicated chicken salad restaurant concept with fast/casual dining.
Re-Writing the Culinary Rules
Terry invented a whole new dining category. Decades before corporate chains popularized multi-flavor chicken salad, Terry was already hand-crafting a diverse, gourmet lineup. His menu was strictly world-class, but never chez fancy. He proved chicken salad was a canvas for culinary artistry, creating overnight sensations like his Original, Honey-Curried, Pesto, and Buffalo recipes.
Decades of Flavor, One Unshakable Legacy
For 32 years, Terry’s legendary recipes built a fiercely loyal following at every stop. Being transitional with his menu he started trading as the vibrant Eaton Gogh cafe on Colley Avenue or serving hungry crowds as Joe’s on High Street in historic Portsmouth, the mission never changed. Even “President Bill Clinton” and his administration ordered a variety of chicken salads when looking for distinct local fare while in Norfolk. Terry and his staff received a thank-you letter from them afterwards in which he framed.
Today, that 30-plus-year legacy lives on through Crazy Good Chicken Salads. While chain restaurants have taken this concept nationwide, they are simply walking the path Terry blazed. We aren't a trend—we are the originator.
Taste the History Today
He traded museum walls for local markets. Find his famous, historic recipes at 3228 Academy Ave Portsmouth,Virginia 23707, alongside premium catering and Terry's legendary triple-layer homemade cakes. Every chicken salad mixture uses premium ingredients and precise hand-shredded textures perfected three decades ago.
*New location with craft beer and wine coming September 2026! We will be partnering with MoMac brewery at 3228 Academy Ave. Portsmouth, Va. 23703 Grab a delicious chicken salad sandwich, a cold brew and of course, bring the kids and the pets.
Our sign became a local recognizable landmark